Bugs of All Sorts

Many bugs go unnoticed,  with the exception of the ones that bite, like mosquitoes, the nasty ticks and an assortment of irritating gnats and some stingers like Bald-face Hornets. Oh sure, there are some pests of the food we eat that gets attention and that might include the rotund stinking grubs that like to eat my potato tubers, fat repugnant potato bugs, maybe corn ear worms, ash borers, Boll Weevils--ya, ya, there are lots of bugs to hate. They didn't really plan it that way. Reckon somebody did , though.

As a result of the few that may create discomfort like bot flies that lay their eggs under the skin so they can slowly eat us (not here thank God because the really suck big time--check photos http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?_adv_prop=image&fr=vmn&va=bot+fly) and the vegetable eaters, the others often get unnoticed and many vilified for doing nothing of any concern to us and our self-important, egotistical, arrogant personal existence.

So I just ran into a couple of beauties, at least I saw them as such, and thought it might be of interest to share them. The first is the lowly aphid, and I will admit killing some of these while working for Libby's  and yes, we used pane launched Parathion but it was before Silent Spring. The little bastards were damaging peas and Lima beans so that were though of as having-to-go. Bombed the piss out of them and everything else including our spotters---which wasn't me.

These aphids, however, were firmly attached to a lovely composite of the yellow nature. There on a leaf was a extended family of red aphids all with their feeding mouths firmly embedded in the stem just sucking up the juices of life. The plant didn't seem to mind as it was healthy and interestingly there was also present a nice population of ants who it seem were milking the aphids of honey drops. It was a small dairy operation so to speak.

We watched as the community pulsated and moved through the warm afternoon. Aphids are a simple lot so it was hard to tell if anybody was really having any fun but some were very fat and probably getting in position to attract a mate which I am sure meant some carnal excitement. I seem to remember aphids can reproduce with out sex so what is the purpose of eating.? Population growth? Do they work for the ants to make fiat currency?

My second bug of the day was the Polyphemus moth I ran into in Door County hanging on the window of the men's bathroom. I don't think it really liked bathrooms. It was just a coincidence because earlier I did see another monster fly by right over the beach looking very much like a bat.This beauty was fresh out of the cocoon and doing a little vibration move to dry off and get the wings up to snuff. It turns out moths don't eat anything so at this point in it's life it was all about getting it on with another moth of the other sex---unless it is a gay moth, which I suppose is possible.

I always though, rather mistakenly, that the Hornworm turned into one of these beauties but not so. They make what I call, Hawk moths, big but more jet like. Turns out these monsters like mostly trees and appear to only get aroused in the presence of Oak trees. I don't know what that is about. I like a good oak tree myself but really. To me a nice grassy field has more appeal.

I left all of these bugs alone and they left me alone. A nice treat if you will.