Last Updated on May 7, 2020 by Fadra Nally
I spread bits of my history all over my blog so I may be repeating myself from time to time. But in light of Earth Day coming up on April 22nd, I thought I’d share with you a bit of my history that even I have a hard time believing.
I used to work with bugs.
Here’s what makes that so remarkable: I DO NOT LIKE BUGS. In fact, I’m quite the arachnophobe (and yes, I know that spiders are not technically considered bugs).
I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in Biology and absolutely no plans for my future. Me. The type-A goal-oriented classic overachiever. I was going to graduate, figure out a job for the summer, and then plan what to do next. At the last minute, I was offered a low-paying job at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Yes, it was low-paying but I was pretty used to that. But it was in my field! And it was at a MUSEUM! That sounded fun.
So I took a job as a research assistant and worked for the curator of Invertebrate Zoology. I helped her on projects like “Judicious Complications of Ecosystems,” a fancy name for collecting lake water and counting the plankton in the samples. Yeah. I sat in front of a microscope all day.
Sometimes I assisted her with her project on the gypsy moth invasion, a moth that flies into town, eats most trees in sight, and completes with more native species. Did I lose you yet? Basically, we set traps for moths, collected them, and identified the different species. So you could say I’ve seen a lot of moths in my day.
You know what I liked about that job?
If you said, cleaning the big spiders out of the moth traps, you’d be wrong. And it wasn’t counting plankton. And it certainly wasn’t reorganizing the collections where I had to see some of the largest beetles and spiders in my life (thank God they were dead and mounted).
I actually really liked the chance to appreciate all of the different species of moths out there. I actually had no idea there were so many sizes, shapes, and colors. It’s amazing to me now how many people don’t know the difference between moths and butterflies. Or that consider butterflies to be beautiful but consider moths to be pests.
They are beautiful in their own right. Just look at this little guy I found resting outside my garage door on Saturday.
It’s amazing the beauty we see if we stop to look around and just appreciate it. I encourage you to spend some time outside this week and find something really cool. There’s a lot out there to marvel at (except for spiders).
And teach your children too! Make a pledge to get out and get involved on B Kind 2 Earth Day this Friday, April 22nd.
Ew. Ew. Ew. Ew. Ew. Ew. Ew. Ew. Ew.
Make sure you check out one of my upcoming posts about bugs. You’re going to stinking love it.
Clearly we have some bug differences but there are some that I have no FREAKING TOLERANCE FOR. You’ll read about it in your comments.
I love this
We watched “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” again last night. One of our kids’ favorites…and toward the end, when they showcase Earth, I always get mistyeyed.
It is a beautiful planet. And every little thing in it.
I’ve read the book but never seen the movie. But if you get teared up, you HAVE to read this. It’s on my blog but I didn’t write it. I LOVE IT!
https://allthingsfadra.com/2010/04/your-moment-of-zen/
That is a really gorgeous moth, Fadra. Unfortunately, Silence of the Lambs ruined moths for me years ago. Sorry.
I totally get that. This moth lover also got freaked out at Silence of the Lambs (for more than one reason!)
wow
you are always an interesting read!!
That moth is beautiful
that is all
Just posted another really cool one on my FB page. I forgot I took that one!
That is a very cool moth. Now I’m jealous, the only ones I ever see are white. Boring.
I bet there are all sorts of moths where you live. You just probably never noticed them. I usually find them on the sides of my porch or garage door in the morning. Check again and maybe you’ll see them.
I can’t believe that bug is real. Such great colors.
I’m normally not a fan of pink but how can you not like a pink bug??
That’a real bug? I thought it was some fuzzy art craft project your son did. Its kind of a bad ass lookin bug though.
Seriously. It’s a pink moth. Could be proof that God is a woman??
Yeah…not a fan of bugs. The earth yes! Nature…sure but from my climate controlled bugfree distance. Heh.
Ok that is a pretty moth..on the computer screen 😉
I’m cool with that. I used lto like camping – you know – getting back to nature. Now I’m more of a day hiker with evenings spent with a glass of wine and comfortable hotel room 🙂