One of the biggest differences between my life in Connecticut and my life here in Oregon is the amount of bugs. They are everywhere... seriously everywhere.... in the country.
I have decided that Pixar should do a sequel to
A Bug's Life and cover the variety of bugs I encounter in the country.
There would be "Dusty" the Squash Bug who is in a gang called the Greasers. I think he would be the main character.
Growing up, I called this little brown, flying insect a dust bug. It makes a mildly gross smell when you smash them and they sort of "pop" when you do. I have recently heard it referred to as a grease bug however when I looked it up on google it looks like it may be known as a squash bug.
These bugs are freaking everywhere! On the toilet paper, on the toilet, in the toilet. Okay, maybe they like bathrooms. I remember when I was young they hung out on windowsills, maybe that the old generation.
Next would be "Herbie" the stinkbug. I see him being Dusty's unlikely best friend. They are technically called a darkling beetle but because they emit a nasty smell as a defense mechanism they are known locally as stinkbugs. I was fascinated by these bugs when I was young because if they feel threatened, they lower their head, stuck their butt up in the air and let out their smell. I still find it interesting, but there have been so many of them that they are just irritating. They like to get into the garage. Then when I go to get into my car and I'm not looking down, I hear the familiar "crunch" followed by the smell, as I step on one. Gross. Before I pull my car into the garage, I open the door to see them waiting for me. I get out, grab the broom and play stinkbug hockey!
The supporting cast would include a fly, a spider and an ant. The comedic scene stealer would be Will "Evil Knievel" the weevil. He would be a little geeky and love finding his way into non-perishable foods. In Eastern Oregon, finding weevils in your stored dry foods like flour, corn bread mix, and cereal is par for the coarse.
And finally there would be the bad guy, Earl the earwig. These insects are the only one that get to me when I think about them. As a young kid I was told they like to crawl into the ear and pinch. Talk about a traumatic idea! If you've ever seen one, you know how creepy they are. They can do this impressive yoga move where they curl their pincher up over their head. The slither along quickly on their tiny little legs and are little buggers to catch.
So there you go Pixar. I will leave the plot line up to you!
We used to live out in the country in western Oregon, and every couple of years we would have a "ladybug season" in the spring. Thousands and thousands of ladybugs would descend onto the northeast side of our house and then try their darnest to make their way into our mud room. It took three or four weeks of vacuuming every day - out of every high corner and crevice in the room. Little know fact - you know that brown juicy stuff ladybugs lady bugs sometimes squirt? "Ladybug poo" as it was known at our house) Well, you get a couple hundred ladybugs together in a room and start vacuuming them, and it will make your vacuum house stink to high heaven. Good times.
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