Tell me your bug stories, I know you got one

[Lamonster]

When I first moved here to East TN from San Diego I had never seen so many stinging wasp, yellow jackets and other fling bugs. I was driving out to a friends house on my Boss Hoss and I had a half helmet on and as I'm going down the road I saw this giant bug that looked to be the size of a humming bird flings at me. It was so big I had time to prepare for the impact but by time it it me and I was stung or bit or whatever it was too late. When I got to my friends house my upper lip was so swollen I looked like I got punched out. I was not happy and looked pretty silly with a big ole fat lip.

This is not thee bug that hit me but I'm pretty sure it was the kind that got me back then

[Flanker]

I could relate the story about the June bug that went through a quilted ski jacket and two sweatshirts and drew blood, but that is another tale for another time.

D@mn! I've still got my old level II vest if you think that would help!

[Oldmanzues]

Those Rice bugs in SEA. "No s*** story. A Army Special Forces unit used them for transport. Worked better then choppers.
A friend of a friend of a friend of a friend swore it was true.
Oldmanzues

[draboo]

three incidents/one bug related/ one chipmunk related/one bird related

While riding two abreast back in the "bad old days" (1970's),a hawk flew up from the side of the road, unleashed the chippy from his talons, and bounced it off my helmet. No one would believe me, except for Ray, who was a witness.

Was hit by a bird whilst doing around 70. THAT HURT BAD!

30 odd years later, a bee up the nose. Came to a skidding halt (no easy feat with the substandard brakes on a 73 Sportster). Wife thought I was having a stroke!

[Bob Denman]

I'll bet that one knocked all of the scale off of your pipes!

[OJ UK]

Lucky for you the queen wasp doesn't normally sting.

Not the species you get in the States perhaps! In the UK the little ba$tard$ are twice the size of the
males/workers and previous personal experience has shown that they do sting quite freely and it does hurt like the devil!
wasp1.jpg
Here's one of a Queen wasp as found in England.....cute huh?!!

[Pappazippy]

Hey Pappazippy, they didn't taste too bad in Khao Phat. Were you at Tahkli??

Yes sir! Tahkli Royal Thai AFB. Used to to hang out at the "UFO" and Tahkli Gardens . (Among other places) I used to get a kick out of the two A-37's the Thais used as bombers. They were a little bigger than the rice bugs but not by much I really miss good Khao Phat!! Also the "B" restaurant was a good place to eat in the Thai sector.

[dadof4]

We were on a 1973 350 honda back in 74 or 75 driving around Oneida lake and I got a bird right in my chest. What a shock. I stood up on the pegs and, still fluttering around, it went between my legs and ended up on my wife's lap. She was able to knock it off. We were both shaking when I pulled over. I'm pretty sure it was the birds last flight.

[groundeffect]

A kamikaze bee had it in for me!!


I was Spydering the freeway at freeway speeds. Being hotter then hell (at least for Newfoundland ), I cracked my visor for fresh air.

I seen a yellow and black blur coming right at my face. While I was still processing the possibilities, and without time to react (duck!!), there was a major splat, and a bang! that ring through my helmet! And what a mess!

I was happy to have a full faced helmet on and I'd only opened it a crack.


Sometimes bugs can come right in over the windshield. Be safe - eye/face protection a must, IMHO.

[bruiser]

Yes sir! Tahkli Royal Thai AFB. Used to to hang out at the "UFO" and Tahkli Gardens . (Among other places) I used to get a kick out of the two A-37's the Thais used as bombers. They were a little bigger than the rice bugs but not by much I really miss good Khao Phat!! Also the "B" restaurant was a good place to eat in the Thai sector.

PM sent

[Yeochief]

The first year I rode my Spyder much was a banner year for "Love Bugs" here in East Central Florida. I was washing bug guts off after every ride no matter how short. I'm an ATGATT rider, gloves, jacket, long pants, boots and full face helmet. One beautiful May morning, I decided to take a ride. I was about ten miles into the ride, but fortunately not far from home when I hit a monster swarm of "love bugs" my visor was so gunked up, could barely see. I was able to get home safely, but it took hours to scrub those little buggers off every inch on that faces forward. My riding jacket had to be hosed down with the jet to get them all off. Two years later I still find the ocassional bug part. For reasons known only to God and Mother Nature Love bugs swarm in May and September every year. This past May there weren't too many, but every time I see one I pray they aren't too thick. They seem to like roadways to meet and greet.

[retread]

Love bugs love carbon dioxide, so they gather by and on roads where the exhausts make a lot of it.

john

[SpyderAnn01]

Love bugs love carbon dioxide, so they gather by and on roads where the exhausts make a lot of it.

john

When I lived in FL in the mid 90s I had a 1978 Mercedes SL380 convertible that burned a little oil. It was very popular with the love bugs. That was the only time I felt less than cool in that car being swarmed at a stop light by love bugs made you feel like poop. One year we were painting our house when they decided to come out of hibernation. It seems that they like paint fumes a lot too.

[missouriboy]

...For reasons known only to God and Mother Nature Love bugs swarm in May and September every year...

That's their two semi-annual mating seasons... hence "love" bugs...