We bought this place about 11 months ago. We visited it for the first time 13 months ago. But we didnt move here until 8 months ago, so there is a whole season we havent experienced yet — summer. Also known as Bug Season.

This is peatbog territory, after all. Lots of standing water.

It began with blackflies a week or so ago. Nasty little monsters, those, and something we didn’t have at the last house for whatever reason. But as nasty and painful as they are, blackflies don’t really come inside.

Mosquitos, now….the mosquitos woke up en masse a day or so ago. And they come inside a LOT.

This isnt exactly an airtight building. There are gaps at every rib of the steel, under the eaves, around doors…it is impossible to say exactly where they are getting in. But in they are indeed getting.

The last two evenings have entailed hours-long lantern-light mosquito hunts. We have killed many dozens, and there always seems to be more, with that super annoying whining drone. I have ordered a solar-chargeable bug zapper to run in the house, but it won’t be here for a couple days. In the meantime, we swat mosquitoes and sleep badly. Husband had to stay home from work this morning because 2 nights of almost no sleep and power tools dont mix well.

For outside, we have bee suits. We bought those before we moved here, knowing the bugs could be bad. Hard to sleep in, though. So, we adapt, improvise, overcome. Again.