What’s All Over This Northwest Rochester Utility Pole?

While out on a bike ride Tuesday morning, I noticed what at first glance appeared to be a swarm of bugs on this utility pole in northwest Rochester. Upon close inspection, though, they weren't bugs. So just what were they?

Well, it looks to me like what I first thought was a swarm of bugs was instead simply many, many leftover staples, thumb tacks and nails that have accumulated on this pole over the years.

The pole, in the Country Club Manor neighborhood at the corner of 36th Ave NW and Country Club Road SW here in Rochester, must have seen more than its share of yard sale signs, bake sale signs, lost and found dog or cat signs and whatever other signs you can imagine.

People attach their signs to the pole with staples, tacks, nails and whatever else, and when the event on their sign in done, they simply remove the sign and toss it out. But the staple, thumb tack, and nail remain in the wooden pole.

I did some quick research online, and this site says the average age of a wooden utility pole is anywhere between "a life of approximately 25-50 years, depending on climate and soil conditions." Which means this pole here has probably been collecting signs-- and nails, staples and tacks-- since around 1990.

That's a lot of signs. And a lot of leftover nails, staples, tacks, etc, too.