caterpillar invasion !

OK, this isn't really a 'kemushi', it's a caterpillar that will no doubt turn into a beautiful butterfly once we have released it into the wild, but you ain't gonna be a butterfly on our time buddy!

This is 'Sansho' 山椒　that he is eating - a Japanese or Aisian pepper plant! It's adds a nice flavour to our cooking...but only without the caterpillar!

Sunflowers!

Even with a rainy season here, I shall not be beaten!

And to think I was SO excited when the seeds sprouted......

But, now that the flowers are out....YAY!

Monday

Pre-typhoon, cloudy Tuesday morning

Pre-typhoon, rainy Tuesday afternoon

Wednesday morning in post typhoon sunshine!

Thursday!

The pots of sunflowers are growing well (large & small seeds) and my sunflower patch....well, I shall have to wait and see. Yesterday, they were fine...

Pre-Typhoon

Post-typhoon

But, today, not so! These little critters were on there today chomping away....

Caterpillars

Can you see the kemushi peeking out??

And, last week, I caught the old kemushi having a go at a leaf...It's a wonder these have survived at all! The garden is so enclosed that it's a delight for woodlice, ants, mozzies and so on...eeek!

.....A few days later and I think the typhoons have passed!

The sunflowers at the front are blooming nicely and the ones at the back are actually bending and stretching towards the sun! Let's hope they flower as that was where last year's sun(non)flower was.....

My neighbour wasn't convinced about planting seeds in pots.....!!!

Oh, how I love the sunflower!!!!!

The return of the Kemushi // 毛虫

Do you remember the alien in our garden? (Alien picture!)

Well, it turns out that this little dude and all his compadres are actually part of the 'kemushi' family.

Kemushi defines the caterpillars with spikes/hairs and are usually poisonous. (Eek!)  Imomushi (potato caterpiller!) means just your regular caterpillar.

imomushi

Well, today I came across the bright green dude again....and a few more.

I carefully got closer for some pictures, and heeded the children's warnings - 'Don't touch!'

I didn't touch him. I just took a few shots.

kemushi

I got back to school and started itching. Perhaps one of last mosquitoes had bitten me? I showed my co worker and she instantly retracted. I had two dots from the 'bite'.

Apparently, these caterpillars are lethal! I mentioned that another co worker's husband had a rash etc from the black and white kemushi. Well, apparently, this one is just as bad and even standing near the caterpillar when the wind is blowing means you can get 'spiked'.

Wow, now that is some crazy talk.

I didn't take a picture, but around the tree was a whole heap of poop from the caterpillars. There were a few on the ground, dead and alive but so many in the tree.

Needless to say, we will not go to that park tomorrow¬! Autumn winds prevail!

Btw - I washed my wrist, after just a bit of scratching. So far, I am ok! Phew!

Aliens in the garden!!

Have to share this picture!

Look closely!

It is, in fact, just a caterpillar.

But, look at the way he is 'sitting'. it took just a few shots to get this one of him 'looking' at me, just as he is 'crossing his legs.

He had been bending in  half to clean/eat/do something to his tail/bottom /I don't know.

Sadly, I found his remains just a few days after. He didn't even make it to be a butterfly...

Sun, Fun & Flowers

Man, it is hot today.

32/33 degrees with the humidity level varying from 70-90%.

So, it would be quite fitting that we choose today to start decking out the garden!

The delivery came today, so we have decking panels, stands that will look reeeeeeeeeally good when we can be bothered to make them and heaps of soil, but somehow not (never) enough.

As I popped my head outside, I was surprised to see my HIBISCUS already flowering. It was not like that yesterday! Happy cheers for Lee!!!

Such a lovely flower!

What made me giggle then, was our lovely neighbour, who seems to take an interest in our interest of 'the garden'. Within a few words, she was uprooting her Shiso (PERILLA) and planting in amongst our basil.

 Incidentally, she had no idea why we would want to cultivate basil. Intriguing as I had no idea why we would want Shiso...until I moved to Japan, that is. I am not a huge fan of the leaf, but I don't mind it in tempura batter.

To end with, I have to say that I found another kemushi!!! He looks like an evil beggar, his tail lifting up slightly and yes, he looks like he wants to sting you. He escaped my trap, though, so I have to hope that he doesn't attack my pears again

our garden

I am (re)discovering my green fingers and my love for the flowers and plants outdoors. Our garden is great fun and I love being out there with hubby and the dogs. Here is a regular visitor to the garden!

Hello!

Now, last week, I saw a caterpillar amongst the small fruit trees we have. I thought nothing of it and simply cut the leaf away. Of course, this being Japan, that was no ordinary caterpillar.

My co worker happened to tell me about the kemushi (毛虫) just by chance the very next day after my encounter with the beast. I was standing under a tsubaki tree and she told me to be careful. They can land on you and then get you with their spikes. Her husband was 'attacked' the week before and had to go to hospital to get medication for rashes all over his body. And you can't just wash out the spikes. In fact, they can spread to other items of clothing too. Be careful.

The beast himself, before I knew how nasty he was.

Apparently, they come out in May & June and again in October & November. Great.

It is very easy to forget about the beautiful butterfly when you know of this monster's capabilities.

He has attacked the pear tree the most, but the cherries we had have just fallen to the ground because they made a feast for some annoying little beast.

So, now, Saturday, I am chopping all the affected leaves off, as well as finding other areas where he has left his trail of spikes.

And, I am on the hunt for any information possible to get rid of him. My co worker said that we must contact the ward office and they will send the exterminator around. This sounds extreme, but I shall soon find out if it is indeed the case. Right, back to the garden!!

Beautiful cherries in the making. One week later they are gone.

A rather colourful little spider.