This summer, we discovered an exotic spider (See http://www.vitamin-supplements-store.net/spider.html ). Painted on its inch-long black back are two bright yellow eyes. Spooky. We even watched it wrap its prey – a small, light brown flying thingy. With amazing speed, spider scurried from center of her web toward helpless victim at least a foot away. Then in a matter of two seconds flat, spider spun fly around three or four times, weaving it into a web cocoon like rolling a corpse in a carpet behind Luigi's Fine Finer and Smokes. No gangster could have operated with one tenth speed.

Just a few hours ago, I was proud to show off a bees nest over a foot tall hanging from a low branch in our One Acre Woods.

"Wow. It's just like in Winnie Pooh!" That was Little Lady, now 3 years and 3 months old.

"Destroy it. There must be thousands of bees in there!" That was my wife.

The fact is that I have had to destroy four bees nests in past three weeks, all between stones in our foundation. I am not keen to drive bees away from their forest nest and toward house. In fact, I think I'll post an arrow sign near house pointing to forest: "Cheap rent. Spacious hive. Vibrant community."

So far, we've avoided pets inside house – we won't discuss "storm trooper ants incident" or midnight mouse-trap peanut-butter visits – and we have kept hogs and sheep at bay (although chickens sheepishly crawl through fence and stray cats like to run hog wild around our land).

No pets, perhaps. But you still have to share your space with skunks and spiders and bees when you live in country.

Coming soon to a humor column near you: How I adopted 14,673 cluster flies on a Tuesday afternoon....without even breaking into a sweat.

MOSQUITO PLANTS There are two types of plants that are called mosquito plants. One is a member of geranium family that was genetically engineered to incorporate properties of citronella. Citronella only grows in tropical places, but it is a well known repellant for mosquitoes. This plant was created to bring repellant properties of citronella into a hardier plant. It will grow where any geranium will thrive. Many have questioned its usefulness as a mosquito repellant, but it is attractive enough to warrant planting for it's ornamental value.

The other kind of mosquito plant is agastache cana. Its common names include Texas hummingbird mint, bubblegum mint, giant hyssop, or giant hummingbird mint. As you might guess, hummingbirds are quite attracted to it. It is a New Mexico native, also found in parts of Texas. It is, in fact, a member of mint family and its leaves do have a pungent aroma when crushed. In its native habitat, it is perennial, and is usually hardy in USDA Zones 5a-9a. It blooms late summer to early fall, so it catches hummingbirds on their annual migration. The long, medium pink flowers reel in butterflies as well.

CATNIP One of most powerful mosquito repellant plants is ordinary catnip. Recent studies have shown that it is ten times more effective than DEET at repelling mosquitoes. It is a short lived perennial throughout most of United States. It is easy to grow from seed, and quickly reseeds. Aside from its intoxicating effects on cats, leaves make a very soothing tea.

With all of these plants, leaves must be crushed to release aroma. Otherwise mosquitoes can't smell them. And, with rosemary and catnip, you can simply crush a few leaves and rub on your skin and clothing to enhance effect.

So, next time you are revising your plantings, consider using some of these attractive plants to do more than just enhance landscape. You can have pretty ornamentals that also drive mosquitoes away.