Fragments From Floyd

What da...?

De plane! De plane! This image taken from the end of our little bridge over the branch, 70 mm lens, during, oh, maybe the fifteenth pass over the house. The best shot would have been the first unexpected buzz right over the house where the yellow plane suddenly filled the skylight above my head in the kitchen while I was emptying the dishwasher. I think I dropped some silverware when I looked up and saw nothing but fuselage, and I know I scared the dog with my loud interjections.

At least this time I was quick to figure out what was going on--not like the UFOs that came in December 2002 and took two days to interpret. I didn't get to go to the public meeting back in the winter, but did receive something in the mail telling us about the Slow the Spread spraying that would take place in June. Oh yes. In addition to the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid, our part of Floyd County is also along the advancing line in the spread of Gypsy Moths.

I'm pleased to see that they are using highly specific insect pheromones. The female is flightless. The pheromone interferes with the normal mate-searching behavior of the males. "They say" that the chemical is safe in our water and soil. Still, it was an eerie feeling standing directly under the low-flying plane knowing I was being dosed with male mating-disrupting chemicals. But then, maybe it's a better excuse than "I have a sick headache." Ya think?