MikePaterson
New year's resol;ution? NO MORE SQUISHING?
Posted on: 12/19/2006 10:56
I'm not talking about houseflies, mosquitos and cockroaches in the bread bin.
But why do so many people mindlessly squish "bugs", just because they're there? It seems to me such contrived squeamishness and mindless, unnecessary destruction; it really irritates me. Very few of these creatures have the capacity to do us any harm at all.
Most insects (that's six legs for indiscriminate bug squishers) are decidedly benign, some are endangered species; and spiders (eight legs) and centipedes (more legs still!) are ALL good to have around.
But apart from their utility, most critters with exoskeletons possess a beauty that's worth a closer look.
I remember with delight "” this was in New Zealand "” splitting old firewood and revealing an eight-inch long centipede with shiny mahogany-coloured segments, with yellow and sky blue on its legs and antennae. I took it out of harm's way and placed it beside a tree trunk that it began to climb. My six year-old daughter was watching closely. She was entranced as the centipede wove and snake-danced its way up the trunk, and into a shaft of sunlight. At which she exclaimed: "Dad, isn't it BEAUTIFUL!"
She was moved to do some research and found out that a mother centipede daily washes her eggs with her antifungal saliva, taking each egg, one by one, into her mouth. Centipedes have gentle courtship rituals. They control garden pests like slugs. Although there are something like 2,800 species around the world, most have a form that is very, very similar to that of their ancient ancestors: they have been around on the planet, virtually unchanged, for around 30 million years "” long before there were creatures like us, there were centipedes very much like the ones we see today.
There are amazing creatures among us.
I'd seriously encourage everyone to see the beauty of bugs and beetles and their kin"¦ and find out more about them.
A New Year's resolurtion maybe?
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RevMatt
Posted on: 12/19/2006 12:10
Unfortunately, I live with two people who don't like most bugs, so this is a hard argument to make around my place. But since I am usually the one called to dispose of the critter, I generally let it go outside. The problem in the winter, of course, is that it is more humane to squish 'em, since they would freeze to death.
GospelCrazy
Posted on: 12/19/2006 12:39
I have a good friend whose policy in her apartment is, "this is where my dog and I live, anyone found trespassing may be squished."
I only go over when invited.
Inukshuk
Posted on: 12/19/2006 13:47
Sorry - I can't find the beauty in an earwig - I squish 'em. And the beetles that eat my lilies in the spring - I squish those too.
Meredith
Posted on: 12/19/2006 14:21
I feel that way about squishing spiders. We never ever squish spiders at my house and they had webs all over our property. We love em.
I remember being in a Chinese restaraunt one day and the waitress starting screaming and pointing at the wall. I looked and saw a little black spider crawling up the wall. I went on a spider relocation mission and scooped it on a peice of paper and deposited it in the parking lot outside.
Hopefull it wasn't run over by a car.
Earwigs and houseflies experience the full force of my revulsion however...
earwigs.....ew.....
Diana
Posted on: 12/19/2006 19:16
What I really hate are those electronic swatters that supposedly zap bugs dead. I've seen people go hunting down bugs, armed with these stupid things, & the revolting thing is that sometimes the poor creatures don't die right away; they just hang there and suffer. It's awful.
karat65
Posted on: 12/20/2006 03:13
I agree. Why squish a bug minding his own business unless he is a flying cockroach and he has entered my home. In Houston these critters were common and would practically open the front door, walk in and say what is for dinner? Big heavy shoes (not mine of course) were my weapon of choice. Sometimes they would be 2-3 " long. I get shivers thinking about the little &%^$#@*#!
Intuit
Posted on: 12/20/2006 17:36
Okay, okay...I'll do my best, starting with the outdoor bugs. I have to work my way up to sparing the ones that venture indoors. Ick.
jaybear
Posted on: 12/25/2006 21:05
I once payed 175.00 for a rare Orchid Praying Mantis in High school to only have it live for like a year and die so I bought another one anyway what is my point oh yah I like bugs they rock. Did you know that roaches can live like a week without a head
MikePaterson
Posted on: 12/27/2006 12:09
There are politicians who seem able to survve term after term without using much but their mouthparts.