I have never been partial to bugs of any kind. You may remember my blog about ticks and how I and my siblings would pull the engorged ones from behind the ears of our dog. We would pop them with a pliers to see how far the blood would shoot. As a young child, I would sit cross-legged on the south side of our farmhouse where the daddy long legs liked to hang out on the warm foundation. I hate to admit it, but for whatever reason, I found it entertaining to pull a leg off of the spider and watch how it could still scurry up the wall without an appendage. (My siblings were not involved in this venture. I’m sure I felt some guilt and shame about this and didn’t wish to admit my fixation.) And of course, I have swatted my fair share of deerflies and houseflies along with listened to the crunch of beetles and crickets beneath my shoes.
But now, I’m nearing my seventh decade, and my thoughts seem to be getting scrambled in my head. Not overall – but regarding bugs. I am finding them quite amazing. I wonder if God is showing me that no matter how insignificant we feel at times, we always have something amazing to offer.
Here’s a few astonishing features of our little creeping companions that you may not know:
- The cochineal insect is loaded with a beautiful crimson fluid that gives us the red dye that is used in our textiles, cosmetics, and yes…even foods. (When smothering your hamburger in ketchup, you can thank the cochineal insect for that nice red color.)
- Bees are not only useful for pollination. Their venom is being used to treat arthritis, sclerosis, and tendonitis.
- Praying mantis eat the bigger agricultural damaging insects and lady bugs feast on the smaller ones.
- The silkworm greatly affected human history. When the Chinese used them to develop silk, the silk trade connected China to the rest of the world.
- Although an ancient practice, the use of maggots to treat gangrene is still being employed today. Maggots only eat dead flesh so do an excellent job of debriding wounds.
This list is only the benefits of a select few insects. Experts tell us that less than1% of insects are considered harmful. Www.sciencefocus.com tells us that it takes 200,000 insects to raise a swallow chick to adulthood. And without any insects at all, most birds and amphibian species would be extinct in two months.
What can I say? It looks like God had a good plan when he created these miniature organisms. It might be best for us and our environment if we can learn to live with them. Let them also remind ourselves that no one is insignificant. We all have a role to play in God’s plan.
Until next time….keep on readin’ and I’ll keep on writin’.