Engaging Life

In my quest to better understand life, I've been learning about some incredible things. First there are the creatures that don't need the sun! Found in the darkness of caves, the troglobites have de-evolved! They lost their eyes! And in the dark, vast ocean, around the hydro-thermal vents, there is not carbon-based but sulfur-based life!

Last night, it was the insects turn. I learned how spiders have learned to use silk as many different tools: protection, hunting, transport, and more! Spiders give me the woolies. But, I forced myself to watch this show about insects to learn who does what, who eats whom, etc.

Did you know that some caterpillar larvae emit a smell that makes ants think they are ant larvae? No kidding, the ants pick them up and put them deep inside their nest, feed then, suck all the bodily fluids from their body (there's no toilets in ant hills) and generally take care of them.

Did you know that some wasps can do the same? Plus, they can actually find the nest with the invading caterpillar, fly in, and inject it (sting it) with it's egg. The caterpillar cocoons as normal, but when it hatches, a wasp flies out instead of a butterfly. Downright macabre, that is!

Insects were around long before we were, and they're everywhere, just below our feet. No place is that more evident than suburbia Indiana, where all you have to do is look out your window or step out your front door!

There is nature everywhere here. All kinds of life. Compared to the desert and New York, it's teeming with life. Crickets play a nightly symphony, letting us know how cold it is. Owls hoot away in the distance. Birds chirp overhead, other insects make noises. A cicada punctuates the canvas, there's a frog's croak, butterflies flirt through the yard, a colony of ants is on the move, grasshoppers are hopping, beetles are beating, and spiders guard every square inch of the house where light leaks through at night.

Now, spiders creep me out, but we have a deal. They stay outside, away from all human footpaths, and eat all the bugs coming in the house. In exchange, I won't kill them or destroy their webs. Big spiders... with hairy legs. Fur, almost. Creepy. Like small animals instead of insets.

So far, it has been an amicable relationship.

Today, as I was outside on the porch contemplating life, I noticed a praying mantis, perfectly disguised on the shrub, giving me the eye. I look at it for a little while from the corner of my eye, and then... I don't know why... I started to play with it.

I moved so that the branch it was on was between it's head and my head - so it could no longer see me. Then I played 'peek-a-boo' with it, moving left to where it could see me, then in the middle, then right, then middle, etc.

That bug watched me! Then, when I quit, IT DID THE SAME THING!

Woah. Communication. Cool. So next, I extend an arm toward it and wave gently. Guess what it did? The same thing!

Woah! I reached even closer to it, and it climbed to the top of the branch and extended its entire body toward me. I wanted to be like Sir Attenborough and pick it up and play with it, but I was too scared of it. Big 'ol giant scared of a little bug! Well, the way this girl was eyeing me, I didn't know what to think. She might have dumped a whole load of eggs on my warm skin or something, so I just stayed there a bit as we checked each other out.

Later, Light came by to say hello, as she usually does whenever I'm out front. She's really starting to warm up to me, wanting me to scratch her head and pet her. She'll get close to me, flop over on her side and start purring. Cute! Sometimes, she gets all regal and stands guard with me. It's adorable.

She seems declawed, so I'm a bit worried about her, especially with winter coming. I hope she has a home.