About this time last year I remember coming home to find giant swarms of flying bugs in our front bushes. I knew they weren't termites but I'd never seen anything like it. There were literally THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of them. After a little research, I discovered that they were called Citronella Ants and what they were doing was a mating swarm and it only happens once a year. They are harmless and the phenomenon is actually considered to be a big to-do in the bug world. As in, it's not every day that you get to witness it because they do their thing for about 4-6 hours and then off they go. The males have wings (pictured below) and the females do not (pictured above). From what I understand, the thing that makes them really extraordinary is that they spend their entire existence living underground in deeply dug and completely self-sustained colonies. But once a year they come above ground to find a bush and pretty much turn it into a huge buggy nightclub of swarmy mating celebrations. They are called Citronella Ants because if you crush them they give of a very pleasant lemony smell. I'll have to take their word on this because:
1. I'm not going to kill a bug just to see if it smells good
2. I don't kill bugs that crunch when you squish them
I could do an entire blog on why number 2 there is an absolute deal breaker rule for me but we will save that for another time. So the first time I saw this event I was a bit freaked out by it because I didn't understand what it was and swarms of bugs generally aren't good things. Turns out it's good to have these guys because they dig deep and keep the soil healthy. But last year I kept my distance.
This year I had planned on planting all day on Saturday and some wild bug sex wasn't going to keep me from it. But unlike last year, this year I embraced the event and took my water breaks by sitting on the step right next to the biggest bush. They didn't bother me and I didn't bother them. We just communed. They flew around my head and face and I would sometimes lean in for a close look. They really are quite beautiful. I've never seen an insect like this before.
I found myself taking extra breaks just to be able to sit and watch some more. It reminded me of the time that the kids and I saw an orb spider weaving a web at night with the web back-lit by a street lamp. We brought chairs out and watched the whole thing.
I think that when those special little moments in nature are put in front of us that we sure better remember to take the time to stop and pay attention. Whatever you want to call them "God Moments" or "Mother Nature Moments", they are there for a reason and it's up to us to be on the lookout. It reminds me of my favorite exchange in Alice Walker's "'The Color Purple".
Shug: More than anything God love admiration.
Celie: You saying God is vain?
Shug: No, not vain, just wanting to share a good thing.
I think it pisses God off when you walk by the colour purple in a field and
don't notice it.
Celie: You saying it just wanna be loved like it say in
the bible?
Shug: Yeah, Celie. Everything wanna be loved. Us sing
and dance, and holla just wanting to be loved. Look at them trees. Notice how
the trees do everything people do to get attention... except walk?
I'm not sure if swarming bug sex is as lofty a sight as a field full of purple flowers but you get the idea. No matter what it is a rare moment in nature and was certainly worth taking the time to watch. It also puts me in mind of my sister Lisa's favorite quote from Mr. Hendrickson (Mo) :)
"Isn't nature MAR-velous?"
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