Getting Started

In 2012 I was finishing up my Associate's degree and I needed just 4 more credit hours to graduate.  My advisor was helping me look for something that would fit my schedule and count towards my program.  After maybe 10 minutes he looked at me and said "Do you like bugs?!".  I knew that I hated spiders (I thank that movie "Eight Legged Freaks") but never really thought twice about insects.  I knew what bees, butterflies and ladybugs were.  I couldn't tell a carpenter bee from a bumble bee or a monarch from a swallowtail, however.  My mom always took the time to point out the pretty ladybugs when I was little or show us the butterfly on a flower; but I never knew much about them.

Mr. S was the entomology professor and he needed a minimum of 10 students to hold the class that semester.  I figured I could handle 16 weeks of learning about insects, so I signed up.  

Best.

Decision.

EVER!!!

I fell in love with these little creepy crawlies that are literally everywhere!  I even lost my fear of spiders.  Knowing so much about them helped me see that there is nothing to be afraid of.  Now I am swimming in field guides that I tote with me everywhere so that anytime I see an insect I can photograph and identify it.  I spend hours outside hunched over different kinds of insects trying to get the best shots from all different angles to help me identify them better.  My laptop is filled with pictures labeled by order; Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Blattodea, etc.  I have become the friend that my friends send pictures to with the caption "WHAT IS THIS THING?!?!".  I get the biggest kick out of it.

Learning about all the different insects that live alongside us has really opened my eyes to the world around me.  I'm more aware of everything in nature, like birds, plants, and all that can effect them.  I make every effort to recycle, to use less single use plastic, to plant native plants that the insects and birds need to survive.. this stuff affects us too!  We have to live on this rock the same way they do, except they're not the ones who throw plastic bottles out the window while they're driving around!  

I was given the opportunity to do research while finishing my Bachelor's degree from 2013-2015.  I worked with German Cockroaches (Blattella germanica), which thoroughly freaked out all my friends and family. I, however, loved it!  I learned everything about these little beings.  I would walk into my lab early in the morning and say hello to them, congratulate them when their ootheca (egg sack) hatched, talk to them while I was inputting data. Everyone in the lab probably thought I was losing it!  

Every year after my first entomology class, I have attended the Museum of Natural Science's annual BugFest.  I love all the exhibits and the hands on experiences they offer.  The great thing about my local event is while they have massive amounts of bug and insect exhibits, they also showcase other things that the museum is involved with.  In 2016 there was an exhibit called the Sparrow Swap.  When my sister and I were wandering the museum we saw the exhibit and decided it looked interesting.  The man talking about the swap was so enthusiastic we could tell he really enjoyed being part of this project.  Somehow we got on the subject of moths.  I started blabbering about my moths (I raised polyphemus [Antheraea polyphemus] and luna [Actias luna] moths for a while) and we sat and talked for almost an hour!  He pulled out a sheet with some photos of moths that he had found and was trying to identify.  That hour at BugFest was how Mr. A and I became the best of buggy friends!  He has even gotten me into being an Eastern Blueburd landlord!  More on all of these things later.

So now to the point of this blog I suppose.  I will be rambling on about all the little creatures I encounter; insects, bugs (yes there is a difference), birds, animals, etc.  If you like nature, stick around.  Hopefully we both learn new and exciting things as this goes on!

Be kind always,

Gigi