Zebra Beetle? Nope...a Banded Alder Borer.

Arthur and Jamey found this bug and tried to describe it to me a few days ago. But I had no frame of reference because I'd never seen this before.

Yesterday Arthur spotted this one and called me over to see it.

I can't wait to learn about this one.

UPDATE: as usual I wait to do my research until after I post.

I found out that this insect is native to North America (after fearing the worst when I cam across the Asian Longhorned Beetle in my search). It turns out they like to use dead wood to raise their young, and aren't considered economically damaging. Whew!

Free French Fries

OK, so they weren't entirely free. We had to buy the oil we fried them in and the propane that boiled the oil, not to mention the seed potatoes that seeded the potatoes. But with our adjunct gardeners clearing and fertilizing the land for us, so that one fine summer day we simply walk down and dig up a mother lode, one does get the sensation of getting something for free.

And of course we can be certain they are free of herbicides, pesticides and other unknowable icides.

Of course none of that would matter if not for the fact that they are good enough to rank higher than the fries at Burgerville and Arthur claims they have supplanted Pad Thai from his number 1 favorite food slot.

Not that I'm bragging or anything. ;)