Box Elder Bug Nymph by Chipka
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Description
Like any insect, there is more to the Box Elder Bug than casual observation may reveal. It is a rather unfortunate fact that many humans know little—if anything—about insects; they vastly outnumber humans and possess behavioral traits that may illuminate many of the more mysterious aspects of human existence.
I thought of this while laboring through a day at the oft-mentioned truck-yard. A sizable portion of it is loaded with refuse of one sort or another: some of it is automotive in nature. Other bits of it are a bit more bio-degradable. Still other aggregates of that garbage-stuff nearly defy description. I suspect that a well-trained anthropologist may glean all sorts of information from truck-yard trash, and equally-well-trained animal-behaviorists, biologists, and ecologists will glean an equal amount of interesting (and, quite possibly, terrifying) information from what a particular group of humans leave amid their truck-drippings. I thought of this, simply because of a box elder bug nymph, making its way across a large, unwieldy piece of rain-dampened Styrofoam.
Box Elder Bugs are true bugs in that they belong to the order hemiptera. They are distinguished by specialized mouth parts. Their mandibles and maxillae (jaw bits) have evolved into a proboscis, often sheathed within a specialized labium (lips) forming a distinctive beak. This mouth-part arrangement is especially suited for piercing tissues (primarily plant tissues.) Like most members of their order, box elder bugs possess wings, five-segmented antennae, and relatively short legs. They are gregarious in that they sun themselves in vast numbers, often forming a rather garish bug-carpet or bug-coat on whatever trees serve as their hosts. Like stink-bugs—with which they’re commonly confused—box elder bugs are classified as “redolent” and will produce a caustic, bad-tasting, rather pungent compound that prevents successful predation. In short, they specialize in synchronized stinking.
In the most fundamental ways, humans aren’t very different. We have big, wrinkly brains, and so we are smarter—at least theoretically; and our defensive capabilities are nearly-indistinguishable from the offence they’re intended to defend us against. Unlike insects, however, we possess arrogance (a side effect of intelligence, that stems from a misinterpretation of intelligence) It’s our arrogance (learned behavior) and not our brain capacity that causes many of our problems. As we look at the world around us, we’re beginning to see that a lot of the ecological imbalance we’re experiencing (and the increase in mental illnesses in the general human population) is due—at least in part—to the fact that we’re subject to laws of Nature that we’ve grown too snooty to obey. This drives me to ask if a box elder bug walking across a piece of abandoned Styrofoam is indicative of a Human problem with a half-life as long as that of artificial packing material. Are many of our psychological and sociological problems due to the fact that our brains are just big enough to make us smart and arrogant enough to totally screw things up? If this is the case, then what can we learn from creatures who live in balance with Nature, simply because they aren’t smart enough to do things any other way? What sacrifices can we ultimately avoid, by simply paying attention to the things we don’t pay attention to now? What can we learn from colorful insects with an ability to stink on command? I don’t know the answers to these questions, but they’re worth contemplating, I think, especially since they’re bug-related, and bugs have a habit of perpetually surprising (and ultimately outsmarting) us big, bad humans; that, if anything, makes them into quite interesting teachers.
As always, thank you for viewing, reading, and commenting, and I hope you’re all having a great week.
Comments (24)
Faemike55
Very interesting capture and highly evocative narrative. it's a shame that, as children, we aren't required to read books by I. Asimov, R.A. Heinlein and others to get a good insight as what could be, in both poles
blinkings
Very cool mate, very cool.
charpix
Education lacks so much these days, and even comparing my own education with that of my grandmother, for instance, hers was far better than mine, and so on down the line. She was learning in 8th grade what we were in high school. The people I know that are 30 years old, or younger, have no idea what the Greeks myths were, or any of the accomplishments of flying in the 1920's, for example. Unless one is curious enough to look things up, they will be ever in the dark. No matter how old you are, never stop learning! Mental illness is quite a subject, too, as possibly most of it is caused by poor nutrition.
evielouise
I have to agress with Mike fastastic evocative narrative chip
auntietk
I like this bug because it's a BUG (it's so nice to be able to use that word without worrying that someone will correct me), and because it's a gorgeous red and black against white, and it's casting a way cool-o shadow. NICE!
mbz2662
synchronized stinking. :) made me giggle. Super shot of the little red and black bug.
angora
there he is... haven't seen it for years? lovely shot, fantastic shadow!!!
Feliciti
it's a cool bug , never seen before i think !!like his color and textures too!!
bullsnook
wicked looking little dude. nice shot
durleybeachbum
Brilliant ramble Chip, and I SO agree. What a great colour this person is, I hope you give a pic of a whole carpet of them! A certain tribe of people that I have encountered on the rare occasions I go into our equivalent of WalMart does inadvertent synchronised stinking. I think it is the cheapo perfumes that we call Chav-juice.
helanker
That is indeed a cute little bug. I like this simplicity and I very much like your narrative about bugs and intelligence. It is quite captivating reading :-)
whaleman
One of your better photos I think, and a train of thought complete with shiny engine, lots of passenger cars and a brightly restored caboose that took us along a most interesting narrative. Oh, and I must say that I agree with Andrea, in fact I almost always agree with Andrea!
fallen21
Excellent shot.
morningglory
Super work.
bmac62
Box Elders? Your outstanding ramble aside, I dislike these little buggers intensely. Somehow they decided to parade themselves in platoons, companies, battalions, regiments, and brigades for about five years on the west side (front) of my house in Kansas. Once they find a home they like...they thrive. When the afternoon sun warmed the front of the house...out they'd come like sunbathers in Grant Park. I stood on my head to keep them outside. Imagine if they found a way to live inside with me? And stink? They aren't called stink bugs for nothing:) I was told they bury themselves in the ground around the foundation of a house and come out to harass an unwitting owner who hasn't figured out how to run them off...at least as far as the neighbor's house. So, philosophy aside, and you've done exceeding well with it..., just the name of these little guys (as I recall the Kansas variety are mostly black with red on their wings)...gives me malevolent thoughts about the need for mass extermination. It is said that a good picture or a good piece of writing should elicit emotion within the observer or reader. Can you tell, you have succeeded brilliantly? P.S. They finally departed when I had the house treated for termites...the method was injection of some chemical all around the foundation...several hundred gallons of it...that completely shut down termite activity inside but also ran off the Box Elders outside. We sold that house in 2010...it never would have sold with critters eating it from inside-out or parading themselves around the outside like revelers at Mardis Gras. As for your pic...great job photographically speaking. But as much as you don't like bananas...that's how much I don't like Box Elders:-)
kgb224
Stunning capture and wonderful writing my friend. God Bless.
jeanebean
Nice picture Chip. Your observations give us something to think about. I didn't know you don't like banannas. Neither do I.
ia-du-lin
beautiful colored insect, great lighting, nice shot
RodS
Excellent macro of this colorful little guy! Nice and sharp - excellent, Chip! There is much to be learned from the insect world. They are survivors - they were here long before humans, and will be here long after humans have gone the way of the dodo.
sandra46
GREAT CAPTURE AND COOL RED COLOR
flavia49
marvelous work! a very kafkian image
beachzz
Lol at Bill--but I guess when you're invaded by some kind of nasty critter, you'd be pretty upset too!! LOVE the color, but now I do NOT want to ever see one of these!!
danapommet
I haven't seen this one before. Like the color and details. Cool shadows!
mrhurn
I really like this one - did you light it or is it natural? Very entertaining read, to boot.