insects - 2
Continuing from back in September.
There is a beetle around this area that I have always called a June bug. Its wing coverings are a dull metallic green and I remember them from way back in my youth. We used to catch them, tie a long thread around a rear leg and fly them almost like one would a model plane – before the radio controlled ones came along. These beetles came by to feed on over-ripe figs and they lined up on them like small dull metallic green hogs at a feed trough.
In the process of “harvesting” some weeds in the garden area, I was reminded that my least favorite bug – other than the mosquito – is the stinkbug. What causes my great dislike for them is the fact that they lurk about in a productive area (my garden) and stick their snout in someone else’s business (my veggies) and if you mess with them they raise a stink. That reminds me of the way some people are – don’t know if these persons are imitating stinkbugs or the stinkbugs are acting like them.
There is always something to cause joy, even in the pulling of weeds and I took great pleasure in treading upon the portion of the stinkbug population that I shook out of the weeds. Several of the ones I enjoyed squishing hadn’t even grown into full adult stink-hood, but it mattered not, they had to go into stink oblivion. If I had not offed them, they would have produced more stinkers for next year.
It was pretty hot and as I sat in the shade, sipping water to cool down for a few minutes a very sad thing happened. Suddenly a bee made a tumbling crash landing on the sunny (and hot) part of the driveway. This seemed a bit odd, but then it made another effort at flight that only lasted about three feet and again it crashed. Tumbling on its back, it lay there pawing the air. I knew it was in trouble so I flicked it into the grass as gently as I could. Even in the grass it didn’t improve and the legs slowed in their movement and finally stopped.
This bee had worked tirelessly for and with its hive-mates for the whole year, but when it came time to die, it died alone. We as humans think it’s sad – and it is – when someone dies without family nearby, but in the truest physical sense, we all die alone. But if we have given our lives to Jesus, He meets us at death’s portal and for all eternity we will have the joy of togetherness that on this earth we could only dream about. ec
There is a beetle around this area that I have always called a June bug. Its wing coverings are a dull metallic green and I remember them from way back in my youth. We used to catch them, tie a long thread around a rear leg and fly them almost like one would a model plane – before the radio controlled ones came along. These beetles came by to feed on over-ripe figs and they lined up on them like small dull metallic green hogs at a feed trough.
In the process of “harvesting” some weeds in the garden area, I was reminded that my least favorite bug – other than the mosquito – is the stinkbug. What causes my great dislike for them is the fact that they lurk about in a productive area (my garden) and stick their snout in someone else’s business (my veggies) and if you mess with them they raise a stink. That reminds me of the way some people are – don’t know if these persons are imitating stinkbugs or the stinkbugs are acting like them.
There is always something to cause joy, even in the pulling of weeds and I took great pleasure in treading upon the portion of the stinkbug population that I shook out of the weeds. Several of the ones I enjoyed squishing hadn’t even grown into full adult stink-hood, but it mattered not, they had to go into stink oblivion. If I had not offed them, they would have produced more stinkers for next year.
It was pretty hot and as I sat in the shade, sipping water to cool down for a few minutes a very sad thing happened. Suddenly a bee made a tumbling crash landing on the sunny (and hot) part of the driveway. This seemed a bit odd, but then it made another effort at flight that only lasted about three feet and again it crashed. Tumbling on its back, it lay there pawing the air. I knew it was in trouble so I flicked it into the grass as gently as I could. Even in the grass it didn’t improve and the legs slowed in their movement and finally stopped.
This bee had worked tirelessly for and with its hive-mates for the whole year, but when it came time to die, it died alone. We as humans think it’s sad – and it is – when someone dies without family nearby, but in the truest physical sense, we all die alone. But if we have given our lives to Jesus, He meets us at death’s portal and for all eternity we will have the joy of togetherness that on this earth we could only dream about. ec
posted by mreddie | 8:31 AM
9 Comments:
Are you pulling my leg about that June bug? Unbelievable.
I hear the Buddhists, when they dig soil, will replace the earthworms back very carefully because one of them could be a relative from a former life ....
We have yellow-jackets up here. They not only sting but are aggresive as well. I give them a shot of WD-40 which dispatches them to dead bug ville. The thing is they hover which makes for a good shot.
At least we don't have those pesky no-see-um's.
Even though the thought of dying seems so scary because we may not have any clue of how we will die, it is so comforting to know Who's face we will see immediately after physical death happens, our wonderful Savior Jesus! :)
Down in L.A. they get June bugs in the summer. They are little diamond shaped bug and when you mess with them they ooze out this goop that smells really gross! Maybe it is a cross between the June bug you are talking about and a stink bug! Teehee! :)
Of course I know about " June Bugs", me being from the south. I remember seeing strings tied to legs of June Bugs like that...but I didn't like to see it!
...and " June Bug" was a nickname I had as a kid, too!
My favourites are earth worms and dung beatles, least favourite are mosquitos and spiders that spin webs where we need to walk.
I have no desire to think about bugs, We had Cicadacovering everything and everyone a few years back. That was enough insects to last me a lifetime.
around here, the most pesky bugs are the tent caterpillar and the cabbage looper. both very destructive. on a bad year, the poplar trees (almost the ONLY non-evergreen tree we have) are entirely stripped of their leaves and it rains caterpillars under them, and full-grown cabbages are reduced to a cluster of browning veins.
We have so many pretty bugs living here in the tropics. Only thing is they grow enormous!
bonita - The June bugs and the color are very real, they may just be a Southern thing. When I pull weeds I always replace earthworms, not because of relative-ism :) but they help the soil.
TMG - We have yellow-jackets as well and they are the most painful stings I have received in my many years of working outside.
adannells - Stink bugs are my least favorite critter - they mess up a lot of produce and fruit.
My faith tells me that I am not alone now, nor will I be at death's portal.
junierose - We guys 'flew' many June bugs and didn't think it cruel - at the time - seems a little that way now.
peter - One of the worst things about walking in the woods at night - besides stepping on a snake - is getting a face full of spider web!
SSN - I do appreciate the hard working bees and such that pollenate my veggies and fruit - because I enjoy those edibles. But the bad ones are not liked at all.
grannyfiddler - When we were younger, we loved to find those destructive caterpillars and use them for fish bait!
michelle - The closest I have got to the tropics is the TV - but I did enjoy seeing these very colorful insects shown on that electronic medium. ec
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