Bugged

I am not quite sure exactly when I became "bugged" about bugs. Over the years, I have taught science units on insects/arthropods, ants, and butterflies--complete with ant farms and butterfly houses. And now I find I'm bookmarking insect sites, reading bug identification books, and am thrilled when I can actually identify a butterfly! So, I guess you could say my interest just "metamorphosed" over a period of time.

Now I am known as the teacher who likes bugs. A large paper wasp nest (found in a tree by my dad) hangs from the ceiling near my desk. Huge plastic insects are scattered around on shelves. Students excitedly bring me specimens they have found to add to my classroom collection. Co-workers have presented me with buggy accessories---a butterfly headband complete with wings and antennae, beetle earrings, socks embroidered with bugs--all of which I proudly wear with my collection of ladybug, dragonfly, beetle and spider pins during our arthropod studies. (What a sight that makes!) One year a parent on business trips to Brazil brought back an owl-wing butterfly and a tarantula under glass for my collection!

Most all of the creatures in my collection were found already six legs up. I prefer to allow all insects, spiders and other creepy crawlies to live but a few of the yellow-jackets in my collection were in my home and posed a danger to my dogs, so unfortunately they had to be zapped--the bees, not the dogs. My most exciting finds were two intact cicada bugs. Their big eyes and beautiful, transparent wings elicit "oohs and ahhs" from most observers.