Bugs

I might not be an entomologist but I really like most bugs. I took an entomology class and really enjoyed learning all of the things I did in there...and I have retained a lot of that knowledge. My roommates used to tell me I might could marry an entomologist...but I'm not sure. I just know that I am tired of people questioning my bug knowledge ok? You may be asking yourself right now "What has spurred this on?" Well, I have one really good example, then another one a little less exciting and today Joanie's blog pretty much inspired me to blog about the latter (and because I have pictures--ooohhh, exciting I know!)

SO once upon a time I went to a golf tournament. I met a man who was really funny, he and I were immediately cutting up and he asked who I was. I told him, "Catherine" and asked back, "Who are you?" Well he introduced himself to me as someone pretty famous in my circle...though I had never seen the man, so I laughed and said, "No you're not..." and it was him. Well. The next occasion we happened upon one another was a fall retreat. See, I do not care for retreats much and I am NOT sure why I had chosen (however reluctantly I am SURE...) to attend this one, but as per usual, I was not thrilled to be there at this moment. I was standing boredly around some people who I used to be friends with and kind of watched these little orangish and black bugs crawl around all over this potted plant. I must've said aloud as I thought, "I think these are ladybug larvae." Now I am not sure if I really knew that or had seen it in class or what. Maybe God just gave me that specific word of knowledge...BUT this man HOOTED out in laughter and said, "WHAT! They aren't ladybug larvae...they look NOTHING like ladybugs...HAHAHA!!!" So of course I shut up immediately since I was only a little sure of myself anyway...and then left and cried because it hurt my feelings...and then I probably decided to home shortly after. I usually don't last long at those things. Definitely not the whole time. EVER.

When I arrived home and remembered, I googled ladybug larvae and here is what popped up:

The question, was it the bugs we had seen? YES! AND I was outraged! I felt so good like it feels when you know you are right...and mad that he had made fun of me. I wanted to HOOT at him and say "I TOLD you so!" ANYWAY. I'm not sure if my "I told you so" ever reached his ears, but there was story number one. The more recent one however was just a few weeks ago.

Another girl I used to be friends with had asked me to come plant flowers at her house. So we were outside gardening and all and this spider ran out. He moved slowly and we screamed and jumped back, but my fascination yet intense fear (maybe an oxymoron...) of spiders made me look very closely to it after I knew I was safe...and all I could see was his back...like the top of him. He was the same shape as a black widow but all he had was these red little dots on his back. They were red...and on the back...of the abdominal part...BUT I just knew it was a black widow. I made Lindsay kill it and not just let it go since we couldn't be 100% sure...

...I finally got around to washing out my recycling bins to bring them inside. I picked them both up to empty them and set them upside down on the grass so I could begin to rinse them. I noticed something sticky on my hands and looked down to see what I might have touched on the trash can and then I noticed it RIGHT beside my fingers underneath the rim...another little spider JUST like the one the day before--and this time I could see his tummy...and there was the infamous red hourglass marking of a black widow. I PANICKED and ran inside. Then I got my camera (because more than killing it I think it was more importantly to capture it to show Lindsay...and be right...again...and research him more...) and then to get spray and kill it from a distance... I took a few good pictures and then sprayed it. Luckily it seemed to die instantly and not freak out and go nuts moving around all spastically as the poison courses through it's little body... I was thrilled. Then I dumped it out of the rim of the trash can onto the patio. It landed perfectly on its legs so that I could see the back now too. So I took another picture, naturally...and then stomped it and dragged my shoe across the cement grinding him and all of his poisonous venom to bits. But I would still be afraid to touch the spot where he was in case I could still somehow get it's venom in me or on me. Of course all the next few days I was paranoid. I wondered if I got bit by a black widow in my sleep would I wake up from the bite, or sickness...or would I just die in my sleep. Please. If you know, let me know. Below are the pictures! Woo! Hoo!