The mother-f'ing sandfly. I don't not love it, I DETEST it with every pore of my being. Unfortunately, the feeling is not mutual.
Here's what explorer James Cook had to say about the little devils in his journal:
‘The most mischievous animal here is the small black sandfly which are exceeding numerous … wherever they light they cause a swelling and such intolerable itching that it is not possible to refrain from scratching and at last ends in ulcers like the small Pox.’
Aren't we exaggerating a bit Jen..spend some time in Australia and you'll think sandflies are pretty tame in comparison to the mossies here. Love the pic!
Posted by: Idiotbox | 05/27/2009 at 11:16 PM
The thing about a mosquito bite is that if you scratch it enough it'll bleed and then scab and then you're done. Sandfly bites get swollen and itch more if you scratch them too much. I was in Australia before New Zealand, so I have experienced the Aussie mossie, but I still have to vote for the sandfly as the most annoying pest.
Glad you like the picture.
Posted by: Jen Martin | 05/28/2009 at 09:56 AM
[this is good] OKidoki..fair enough. I'm a kiwi that has been living in Australia for the past 10 years and I've copped heaps of flack but I love the Australian sense of humour. I'd like to send you some funny e-mails that take the piss out of New Zealanders. But one e-mail has a lot of foul language in it so I can't post it here..if you like I can send it privately to you but if you'd rather not then I won't send it. Let me know Jen.
Posted by: Idiotbox | 05/28/2009 at 08:35 PM
Sure. Just send it as a message through Vox. I'm neither a Kiwi or an Aussie, but love to listen to them give each other grief -- a nice, healthy, humorous, national rivalry.
Posted by: Jen Martin | 05/28/2009 at 09:11 PM
Oh ew... I'm in Arizona and as far as I know we don't have sandflies... but we do have these lovely creatures called scorpions... I have yet to step on one but i hear it's just excruciating...
Posted by: Veronica | 06/10/2009 at 09:28 AM