If you remember the early 80's, the you may remember what that line came from, you may also remember the plague of gypsy moth caterpillars.

Now the new menace to convertible driving seems to be the Forest Tent Caterpillar. Some roads have so many squished caterpillars on them that they've turned brown, and you can see about one caterpillar crossing the road in about every four square inch area. They crackle and pop disquietingly as you run over them. Revel in the the auditory joys of open air driving.

The worst part is the threat from drop-in passengers. When a caterpillar is crawling on your e-brake handle, and you see it out of the corner of your eye, you're highly motivated to get rid of it as quickly as possible. If a caterpillar finds no plants to eat, it will try to eat you, starting with your brain! (This is a scientifically proven fact, of science. Remember the "Wrath of Khan", also from the early 80's? It's just like that, only with caterpillars, and without Ricardo Montalban to give your caterpillar riddled brain instructions.)

The infestation is still spotty, but that's likely to change by next summer. These things take a few years to peak, and subside.

MG