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Dear Auntie - I awoke me this morning to find a line of flea bites on my belly. When this has happened before, I named the flea "Igor" as is traditional, and after rudimentary training, sold it for a few euros to a travelling circus. However, given the present political climate I feel this name is unsuitable. Can you suggest an alternative, or if not should I reach for the insectacide?

And to think I thought you meant this Flea!

OFSO wrote:a line of flea bites on my belly

Which way were they heading? This could be important.

Horizontally, ie west to east or perhaps east to west but not north to south or south to north. And not North by Northwest, I might add in a probably futile effort to prevent a video clip being posted here. The insect bio- repellent I bought smells heavenly and so far I have not turned into a golden retriever nor tabby cat.

OFSO wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 03, 2022 4:50 pm

Horizontally, ie west to east or perhaps east to west but not north to south or south to north. And not North by Northwest, I might add in a probably futile effort to prevent a video clip being posted here. The insect bio- repellent I bought smells heavenly and so far I have not turned into a golden retriever nor tabby cat.

But do you have the urge to lift your leg at lamp posts, or throw dirt over stuff?

The urge comes from not taking the prostate muscle relaxer tablets!

Having seen the casual attitude Spanish electricians take to earthing metal objects the last thing I'd do is pee on our (new) LED street light posts.

I think the flea has been joined by something else. New bites of a better and different persuasion, located on sides of feet where fleas Fear to Tread.

Bedbug?

One of the possibilities for infestation is that I hang my pajamas out in the air all day to freshen them up. During this time all manner of creatures have access, notably ants, millipedes, labradors, wagtails ect. No hippos as yet. However they need a good shaking out when brought back indoors. (The pajamas, not the hippos). On occasion, ie most of the time, I forget to do this.

The "Little Offenders" as they were referred to in The Good Life, series 3 episode 6, 'Whose Fleas Are These?'

Obviously not the Golden Fleas that Jason and the Astronauts set off to find.....

^

More bites, different type, different locations. Bio-spray on clothing and bed linen having little effect. Unless it's new ones.

^ mites dropping out of birds' nests or roosts?

Mite be.

What is Mrs. OFSO's status re: bites?
Is she on the menu or do they just prefer you?

PP

Eight on one leg and two on the other. A serious asymmetrical imbalance. Probably related to the earth's rotation in the northern hemisphere. Hop bias.

A lesson in linguistics. The local word for stinging and biting pests of insectile nature is "bichu". However there is no formal restriction in size. Hence one might hear a farmer say "Bloody bichus stung me on the arse last night" but also "time to go and get those bichus out of the pasture" or "got a fair price at market last week for those bichus". And I do believe on occasion "bichu kept me awake with her snoring all night next to me".