Garden pests

I've been focused in many ways in trying to combat the mosquitos that descended on us every time we went outdoors last summer. I've been pulling out and trimming back ivy, planting things that mosquitos reportedly don't like, and trying to be generally aware of garden maintenance, including eliminating any standing pools of water. In the meantime I forgot about other potential garden pests.

I discovered a new one last weekend, after trying to clean the ivy away on the back fence. Early this week I started developing a rash that got slowly worse over the next couple days. I finally went to see a doctor on Friday. Poison ivy. A nasty case of it. I'm on steroids and antihistamines to help with it and now jump at any sight of an unidentified vine. I thought I was pulling out Virginia creeper, which I've considered a nuisance for months. Apparently some of it, and maybe a lot of it, is not Virginia creeper.