We have a bug theme happening here at A Gypsy Caravan. Those of you who visit regularly will notice the majority of nature study that we have done this spring has been related to insects. These studies have been rather spontaneous, mainly based upon the insect induced panic of Mary who, as of late, has become rather comfortable with the Yiddle Bugs around our yard.
Ben has taken to collecting insects. The first two insects he collected were found dead. The latest specimens have been found, captured and allowed to perish in a jar or other container. Although I am not especially fond of this method, I do not know of another so I have allowed him the freedom to collect and mount them as he wishes. Some friends have told me to buy chemicals that will kill the insects immediately. Some have told me to forgo the chemicals and freeze the bugs for a less messy approach. I have done neither and so the "capture under the jar" method continues.
Yesterday we were in our screen porch, off the garage, when Christopher noticed a large moth, similar in shape to a small hummingbird. We identified it as a Nessus Sphinx Moth (Amphion floridensis) which hovers much in the same manner as a hummingbird. Ben decided that it would make a nice specimen to add to his insect collection. Christopher was not finished looking at it and was very interested in allowing it to live. Ben went in the house to get a jar to place over the moth.
Now, first let me explain a thing or two about Christopher. Here is a very pleasant boy, amazingly friendly and sweet, so long as you do not upset him. Once he is upset, it takes a small army to calm him down and to protect the people and property nearby. That being said, I will continue on with my story...
Ben went in the house to get a jar to place over the moth. He chases the moth around the screenporch, finally capturing it under the glass. Then he goes back in the house, figuring that he will check back in a couple of hours to see how the creature is faring. Chris, not knowing that his brother is planning the demise of this interesting nature friend, runs into the house to look for his field guide. He comes out of the house with a big smile, carrying his book, only to find that his big brother had the moth under the jar.
The conversation went something like this:
Christopher: "What are you doing?"
Benjamin: "I am going to pin that hummingbird moth"
Chris: "No you're not."
Ben: "Yes, I am, for my bug tray."
Chris: "You cannot pin a baby bird!"
Ben: "It is not a baby bird, it is a moth."
Christopher (adamant):"It is a baby hummingbird, just hatched from the egg!"
This is the point when I realize that he thought the moth was a small hummingbird. We had put our hummingbird feeders in the yard the week prior and had seen some visitors in the early morning hours.
Christopher began to get agitated, wanting to protect what he thought was a baby bird. There was no amount of calming or reasoning that I could do to convince him that it was, in fact, an insect. I brought out our insect field guide as well as our hummingbird field guide to show him the photos. We compared them with the real creature, still under Ben's jar. He was not convinced. He began to scream and cry, about the baby bird having a right to live and ranting that his brother was right up there with Attilla the Hun on the compassion scale.
Ben, relentingly, allowed the moth to go free, simply to appease his brother, who was so completely uncalmable. Ben was ever so excited about the prospect of having a Nessus Sphinx Moth as a specimen, so I feel sorry for him but I have to give him credit for being so mature about it. Christopher, on the other hand, will never be an entomologist.
I am posting this photo to show you Ben's collection of insects thus far. He has a yellow swallowtail butterfly, a cicada in its shell (please click here), a yellow jacket, a bumblebee, a honey bee and a potato bug. While there are not very many to show you yet, we'd love to hear your adventures collecting insects. We'd appreciate hearing whether your family has insect collections and, if so, how you go about collecting them, where you buy your supplies and what, other than glass headed dressmaker pins :), you use to mount them.
In the meantime, Benjamin has decided that he will go bug hunting alone, when no one else is looking!
