Kinship With Bugs
Originally published July 7, 2017
Sometimes life at my household comes to an unforeseen halt due to the appearance of a bug or spider. Many a time I have stopped what I'm doing to help a bug who has flipped over on their back and can't right themselves, or to initiate a catch and release delivery program so the creepy crawly is removed from the house and released outside. I've also held off doing laundry for 48 hours because of the spider who had taken possession of the laundry tub and would not allow me to move her out.
I always think I’m keeping my eyes open for them so we can cohabit peacefully and safely, staying out of each other's way.
But occasionally there's an #epicfail.
Spiders And Showers
The other morning I made the mistake of not checking the shower before turning it on. Sure enough, a little black spider was in there, being swept around in the water. I used the shower curtain to get her/him to dry land. By the time I got out of the shower, the spider had recovered and was scurrying around on the floor. All ended well.
Helping Our Insect Kin
I posted about this experience on Facebook and here are some of the replies I received:
One person mentioned rescuing wasps by using a small glass and piece of paper. She mentioned she has found that to work best for catching them without causing injury. Other folks use a plastic tub with a CD as the rescue and release tool of choice. There was a mention of using a paint stirrer to collect spider egg sacs from the porch and 'rehome' them in shrubs and bushes
Another mentioned how everyday there was an insect that needed to be rescued and released outside. Her dad taught her that from a very early age
Folks shared other places they have found insects, among them the places being towels, clothing, tubs and sinks
On woman remarked how her mother checked the spider webs and if it looked as if the spiders hadn't eaten lately she would place a bug in their web. Nuturing across species lines!
It truly does my heart good to see how people are reaching out to help our insect kin. The thoughtfulness and kindness that came through the comments was uplifting. Yes, there were folks who commented on their fear of spiders and insects, but isn't that perfectly natural? After all, we've been taught to fear and kill insects, it's in our culture.
Hopefully we are coming to a time when we humans no longer feel it necessary to strike out against the insects and spiders in our world. Not only are they beneficial to life on this planet, they are sentient souls in their own right and deserve the right of life.
How have you helped the insect kin who come across your path? Do you have a rescue and release program in place? If so, please leave a comment and share. After all, We All Do Better When ALL Creatures Do Better!
