I think bugs have the best personalities of the animal kingdom which I include humans in.
I love to watch as they go about their own business. I have saved many insects including a mosquito once to see if I could. As many know if a bee is worn out, often lil guy can be restored with honey water or sugar water or even water at times. I had one who I took outside with mixture so he could have a chance, and watched as he drank up. When finished the funniest thing happened, as getting his fill he flew to me a couple of feet away where I was watching, and flying in place a few seconds, looked squarely in my face as if to say "ty" or "wtf". I am not sure which. He was so cute and flew off happier than when I found him belly up, but not dead.
There is a lot of misinformation out there about mosquitoes and yes ticks. Wish we could educate especially those who resort to pest control companies. Thanks for speaking up for our best friends. Nothing makes me happier than the buzzing of pollinators as I’m working my garden early morning. And this for Jim, once I caught a wasp that had wandered into our home. I opened the door, uncapped the jar it was in and it flew back long enough to sting me then off to its freedom. Needless to say, I no longer rescue them when they’re trapped inside. All other insects yes. ( Did I know you were a beekeeper? We have been for over 12 years. I’m about ready to hang up the suit.)
Betsy, that's a wild story about the wasp stinging you before it flew to freedom. Some thanks, eh??! And you were so right about the joy of hearing buzzing pollinators while working in the garden.Nothing better!
I'm with you on bugs, even though I am seriously allergic to honeybee and wasp stings. (I've handled bumblebees and other native bees and never gotten stung. They have an easier relationship with we humans!) Thanks for the thoughtful (and amusing) perspective and the reminder of working to be mindful of our relationship with other beings, especially those that bug us. (I wish I could be as Buddhist about our current administration, but I'm not there yet. Insects are easier.)
In my defense, I would argue that my "bug-phobia" is being exaggerated here. I do admit, however, that when I'm sitting on my back deck and a wasp tries to fly up my nose, I don't sit there calmly and let will be what will be. But I don't react out of fear but rather out of an angry desire to seek revenge against the unprovoked attack. 🤣
Oh how I adored this post. I visited Africa for the first time in January of 2024 and one of the best things was how many bugs there were. Everywhere, all the time. It felt like such an affirmation of LIFE and it made me realize how sanitized we've made our world in the western hemisphere--and not to our collective benefit either. Without termite ants in Africa's wild savannas we wouldn't have elephants or many of the other species we revere. Thank you for celebrating the small and mighty creatures we all need to live. <3
Stephanie, that is so interesting about Africa! Thank you for sharing about it. So elephants eat the termite ants? It's a big part of their diet? So cool!
They are both considered keystone species, in fact!!! The ants collect elephant dung and mine it in their termite mounds (called living castles) and they become very mineral rich--and are also temperature-regulated so are great places for other species to make nests. When the eles find these mounds, they dig them up to eat the minerals in the soil which then opens up entire water holes for countless species. Amazing isn't it???
Wow! Indeed amazing! And thank you for the link. I'll check it out, and I bet some other Rx Nature readers will, too. So ... you're saying that the elephants dig up (and eat) mounds that the ants made from the elephants' dung? There's something perfect about that! 😆
Exactly. Termite mounds are partially made from elephant dung and are rich in nutrients. This attract elephants who dig and wallow in and around them, creating depressions that fill with rainwater to form waterholes. These waterholes then become vital resources for a wide array of animals. It amazes me. The cycle of life!!!!
I’m all in with insects, I capture and release everything with one exception… roaches. An innate, nonsensical fear/loathing that I have never been able to shake, I run from them and if no one else is around to save me I have been known to throw things from a safe distance until they are “dispatched”. My dogs are no help. Living on the Georgia coast it is a problematic phobia. Maybe adopting a possum would be a better solution. 😂😉
Dottie, I hear ya on the roaches! There's some kind of innate fear and loathing of them that seems to be wired into human DNA. I had to laugh at "My dogs are no help." Wouldn't it be great if we could train them to seek&kill, when it comes to roaches? My cat is quite interested in any insect that comes into the house, but ultimately she's no help, either.
Great post and replies! The only flying insects I avoid (and won’t kill unless they’re harassing one of my granddaughters) are wasps. I’ve been stung by them while sleepingas well as minding my own business. But I don’t tolerate ants in my house and for some reason, here in California we’re constantly warding off different ant varieties. I’ve never had this problem anywhere else I’ve lived (4 other states). Any suggestions?
Allison, I thought bug problems were nonexistent in California! (Urban myth, I guess?) For ants, I use whole cloves. You have to try to figure out where they're entering, then you lay out a line of cloves across that path, which purportedly blocks them because of the intense smell. (So you have to replenish the clove barrier every so often.)
I think bugs have the best personalities of the animal kingdom which I include humans in.
I love to watch as they go about their own business. I have saved many insects including a mosquito once to see if I could. As many know if a bee is worn out, often lil guy can be restored with honey water or sugar water or even water at times. I had one who I took outside with mixture so he could have a chance, and watched as he drank up. When finished the funniest thing happened, as getting his fill he flew to me a couple of feet away where I was watching, and flying in place a few seconds, looked squarely in my face as if to say "ty" or "wtf". I am not sure which. He was so cute and flew off happier than when I found him belly up, but not dead.
Thank you for saving an important life! One tiny life, but an important one. I'm glad that insects living near you have you looking out for them.
namaste sister
There is a lot of misinformation out there about mosquitoes and yes ticks. Wish we could educate especially those who resort to pest control companies. Thanks for speaking up for our best friends. Nothing makes me happier than the buzzing of pollinators as I’m working my garden early morning. And this for Jim, once I caught a wasp that had wandered into our home. I opened the door, uncapped the jar it was in and it flew back long enough to sting me then off to its freedom. Needless to say, I no longer rescue them when they’re trapped inside. All other insects yes. ( Did I know you were a beekeeper? We have been for over 12 years. I’m about ready to hang up the suit.)
Betsy, that's a wild story about the wasp stinging you before it flew to freedom. Some thanks, eh??! And you were so right about the joy of hearing buzzing pollinators while working in the garden.Nothing better!
I'm with you on bugs, even though I am seriously allergic to honeybee and wasp stings. (I've handled bumblebees and other native bees and never gotten stung. They have an easier relationship with we humans!) Thanks for the thoughtful (and amusing) perspective and the reminder of working to be mindful of our relationship with other beings, especially those that bug us. (I wish I could be as Buddhist about our current administration, but I'm not there yet. Insects are easier.)
Well said on all fronts, Susan! Thank you for your presence here.
In my defense, I would argue that my "bug-phobia" is being exaggerated here. I do admit, however, that when I'm sitting on my back deck and a wasp tries to fly up my nose, I don't sit there calmly and let will be what will be. But I don't react out of fear but rather out of an angry desire to seek revenge against the unprovoked attack. 🤣
Well said. I had some fun at your expense. Thank you for letting me! There's still no one else I'd rather sit on the porch with.
The feeling is most definitely mutual. 💙
As a fellow insect lover - thanks for this Jeanne!!!
You're so welcome, friend! Thank you for being here.
Oh how I adored this post. I visited Africa for the first time in January of 2024 and one of the best things was how many bugs there were. Everywhere, all the time. It felt like such an affirmation of LIFE and it made me realize how sanitized we've made our world in the western hemisphere--and not to our collective benefit either. Without termite ants in Africa's wild savannas we wouldn't have elephants or many of the other species we revere. Thank you for celebrating the small and mighty creatures we all need to live. <3
Stephanie, that is so interesting about Africa! Thank you for sharing about it. So elephants eat the termite ants? It's a big part of their diet? So cool!
Here's a great link to a PBS docu: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/elephant-and-termite-about-depsre/26434/
They are both considered keystone species, in fact!!! The ants collect elephant dung and mine it in their termite mounds (called living castles) and they become very mineral rich--and are also temperature-regulated so are great places for other species to make nests. When the eles find these mounds, they dig them up to eat the minerals in the soil which then opens up entire water holes for countless species. Amazing isn't it???
Wow! Indeed amazing! And thank you for the link. I'll check it out, and I bet some other Rx Nature readers will, too. So ... you're saying that the elephants dig up (and eat) mounds that the ants made from the elephants' dung? There's something perfect about that! 😆
Exactly. Termite mounds are partially made from elephant dung and are rich in nutrients. This attract elephants who dig and wallow in and around them, creating depressions that fill with rainwater to form waterholes. These waterholes then become vital resources for a wide array of animals. It amazes me. The cycle of life!!!!
Thank you for this latest buzz about bugs ;-)
🤣
Lovely piece Jeanne!
Thank you, Molly … and thank you for being here at Rx Nature!
I’m all in with insects, I capture and release everything with one exception… roaches. An innate, nonsensical fear/loathing that I have never been able to shake, I run from them and if no one else is around to save me I have been known to throw things from a safe distance until they are “dispatched”. My dogs are no help. Living on the Georgia coast it is a problematic phobia. Maybe adopting a possum would be a better solution. 😂😉
Dottie, I hear ya on the roaches! There's some kind of innate fear and loathing of them that seems to be wired into human DNA. I had to laugh at "My dogs are no help." Wouldn't it be great if we could train them to seek&kill, when it comes to roaches? My cat is quite interested in any insect that comes into the house, but ultimately she's no help, either.
Great post and replies! The only flying insects I avoid (and won’t kill unless they’re harassing one of my granddaughters) are wasps. I’ve been stung by them while sleepingas well as minding my own business. But I don’t tolerate ants in my house and for some reason, here in California we’re constantly warding off different ant varieties. I’ve never had this problem anywhere else I’ve lived (4 other states). Any suggestions?
Allison, I thought bug problems were nonexistent in California! (Urban myth, I guess?) For ants, I use whole cloves. You have to try to figure out where they're entering, then you lay out a line of cloves across that path, which purportedly blocks them because of the intense smell. (So you have to replenish the clove barrier every so often.)
Happy to try that, thank you, Jeanne! Years ago we tried talcum powder and that worked for a while.