Irish Wildlife.

[gness]

Well used to the various wild visitors in our Kerry field but....

Decorating all day in the heat and humidity. Even my straight hair had started to curl and frizz.
I went to sit outside the back door to cool off and Dave joined me. Look, he said, that twig on the wall above your head looks just like a stick insect.

He went to brush it off and it jumped. Into my hair! It was indeed a stick insect. They cling. Have you ever tried to remove a stick insect from the depths of your hair? :-(

[Tilly2]

A carrot might have worked.

[tonyav]

Pretend it's an hairslide.

[gness]

Seems they only like leaves, Tilly. Doing a bit of research and sightings here are very rare. We have to report any we see. Apparently some eggs have come in from New Zealand on tree fern and our climate suits them. Interesting little creatures.

[gness]

That won't be good in the pub, Tony. When my hairslide starts wandering about my head folk will think they've had enough and Sean'll throw me out.

[Tilly2]

Eek! You don't want them laying eggs in your hair! Go and wash it in tea tree shampoo! Forget the carrots.

[tonyav]

Ah but it might wonder from yours to someone elses.

[gness]

Off the tea tree just now, Tilly. Trying Redken shampoo. Dave calls it my Socialist Shampoo.

[DTCwordfan]

Just rinse your hair with a Guinness or Murphy's - at least the stick insect would die happy.....

[sunny-dave]

About 4 inches long ...

https://ibb.co/W6HnL9s
https://ibb.co/jTsYBc3

The Unarmed Stick Insect (Acanthoxyla inermis) - a rare but now resident insect - though to have initially arrived from New Zealand in tree ferns imported via Kenmare in the 1960s.

[Lie-in King]

In Maori culture... If a stick insect (or mantis) landed on a woman it was said to be a sign she was pregnant...

[gness]

Oh Lord! I have put on a couple of pounds and craved sugared pickled onions, LiK. When do you suggest I break the news to Dave?

[DTCwordfan]

my gosh, break out the war-paint and the champers.....

[douglas9401]

'Stick insect' may be a pet name.

More news later.

[Lie-in King]

Just as he's sipping that expensive whiskey...

I'm sorry, but "sugared pickled onions"? If that's not pica, you need help, methinks ;-)

[gness]

Well we have no shortage of Irish Whiskey, LiK but I fear it's pica. :-(

[sunny-dave]

Given our combined ages, and some tactical snippage too, if gness is pregnant then I'm changing my name to Joseph and the little blighter will be called Jesus ...

[gness]

No name change needed for me, Dave. :-)

[DTCwordfan]

Nice to know that things are stable in the southwest of Ireland.

[douglas9401]

All far Larne.

[gness]

Just waiting for three kings to bring gifts, DT.