Invasive species ...

Well, we are STILL awaiting the onslaught of massed cicadas.  But!  We have the shell of one stuck on the front of the house.  I did read somewhere that they climb bricks and we have a lot of bricks for them to climb - if they get here.  Friends in southern Fairfax County, down in the Woodbridge/Ocoquan area, say the cicadas have definitely arrived there and are singing their hearts out.

So far this is all we have to show: a mere shell of himself!

Our other more lively recent invasive species showed up Saturday morning in the back garden, breakfasting on peanuts and old bread we had put out for the birds: a coyote!  Looking somewhat hard-used and with a discreet limp, but definitely a coyote and a good reason to keep our cats in the house as housepets rather than become a tastier breakfast for borther coyote!

 

We still have only the most minimal contact with the large mammals  in our neighborhood (in fact the ones at 10700 Norman are moving out today) but the small mammals and  insects are getting up close and personal!