What bugs/diseases/critters have ya'll seen that weren't around 30-40 years ago?

[JeepHead]

Cougars are not supposed to live here in Indiana but I have seen one 3 separate times. I am waiting to some day see a black bear roam through.

 

[WinterDeere]

Speaking of bears, they seem to be more plentiful in recent years.

A neighbor walked out their front door two evenings ago, and almost right into a black bear who was on their deck in the dark. They'er not common here, and they avoid people as much as they can, but they're around.

I find their scat many times per year, but have never personally happened upon a bear in the flesh. I'm runnning between the house and barn fairly frequently at night, and we have one of the larger and more rural properties in the area, so I've probably had many close calls of which I'm completely unaware.

Black bears aren't usually agressive, preferring to just avoid people when they can, unless you surprise them or manage put yourself between mama and her young.

More eagles (I have an eagle's nest atop the hill on my lake house).

Same. I went thru the first 40 years of my life without ever seeing a bald eagle in nature. But suddenly the last ten years I see a few every year. There are two local nests, of which I'm aware, and probably many more of which I'm not.

I think a lot of species were over hunted in the past. So wolves, for example, were almost entirely wiped out, and then were reintroduced 10 or 20 years ago.

Ranchers and farmers couldn't tolerate wolves picking off their livestock, and so they were shot on-sight. More recently, tree huggers want to see all native species restored... until one of them makes off with Timmy!

Somebody had the bright idea to bring over Gorse to the Oregon Coast. It is like a living barbed wire fence, and very hard to get rid of.

Sounds like multi-floral roses, around here. Folks were encouraged to plant them in the 1930's or 40's, and I have no idea why, as they just completely take over and spread like wildfire. They're impossible to elminate, and really only a front-end loader or bulldozer can uproot them and push them back. Their thorns have punctured many tractor tires.

 

[Dftodd]

Along with Russian Olive, Honeysuckle is even worse around here.

Honeysuckle is bad here.

 

[Dftodd]

^^^
A woman I spent time with last year said she has never heard an owl. I can't imagine living 60 years in Maine and not hearing one.

I heard owls all the time going outside after dark in Vermont. I just didn't realize that was what I was hearing.

Your average person just assumes they make a "Who Who.... Who who...." sound.

The Barred owls make that sound, plus a "Whooooaaaa!!!" Sound. And when I tick them off by accidently spot lighting him, they can sound like a chimpanzee

 

[Dftodd]

We'll, I've been a damn yankee for over 24 years now.

Skunks and ground hogs along have been on the east coast (and native to NC) since boats came to the eastern shores in the 1600's and they didn't migrate here recently to NC

Never saw an Armadillo in NC to be honest, but did see a alligator on the eastern side of the state. Wouldn't know what a fire ant looks like.

Coyotes came in about 40 years ago from Tenn.

From what I remember Dakota white tail are generally a larger breed of deer. Generally, NC is over populated with white tail and they are a lot smaller than most deer you'll find up north. Honestly, guys hunting deer in NC will shoot anything on 4 legs for the most part from my experience.

I'm guessing your on the east side of NC?

A fire ant is a touch bigger then a sugar ant, but they will bite the snot out of you.

 

[jmc]

Sounds like multi-floral roses, around here. Folks were encouraged to plant them in the 1930's or 40's, and I have no idea why, as they just completely take over and spread like wildfire. They're impossible to elminate, and really only a front-end loader or bulldozer can uproot them and push them back. Their thorns have punctured many tractor tires.

My WWII vet neighbor said farmers were encouraged to plant them as natural fences. It backfired as the birds spread the little orange berries.

 

[ponytug]

I heard owls all the time going outside after dark in Vermont. I just didn't realize that was what I was hearing.

Your average person just assumes they make a "Who Who.... Who who...." sound.

The Barred owls make that sound, plus a "Whooooaaaa!!!" Sound. And when I tick them off by accidently spot lighting him, they can sound like a chimpanzee

We get arctic owls here in the wintertime. Their call greatly resembles a young female human getting the fright of her life.

My all time favorite animal call is that of a tiny African animal, a tree hyrax, that starts like the terrified young female and then ends a wet gargle that sounds like she is either being strangled or in the jaws of a large carnivore. Pretty terrifying, even if you know what it is. In tents in the bush, it is pretty easy to think that your fellow campers are being carried off one by one.

The darn things are only about 18" long/6lbs or so, but loud.

Tree hyrax - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

With all of our local cats (mountain lions), I don't go outside after dark without a light, and always look up on the rooftops and into the trees before getting close. They are said to have an 18' vertical leap and 30+ feet leap horizontally. Our game cameras pick them all the time, and our animals (cows and horses) have never reacted when one saunters by, which tells me that they are more common than I think.

All the best,

Peter

 

[ning]

Cougars are not supposed to live here in Indiana but I have seen one 3 separate times. I am waiting to some day see a black bear roam through.

Historically they ranged the entire 48.

 

[WinterDeere]

Historically they ranged the entire 48.

Beautiful creatures.

 

[MossRoad]

My grandson had a tick latch onto his junk

He was an iching fool for about a week after.

Benadryl creme works wonders!!!

I had that happen when I was a kid. Went screaming to my dad!!!!

Reminds me of the leeches scene in the movie Stand By Me.