Sympathy for Insects
Most peoples first reaction, upon seeing an insect in their home or place of business, is to squish it, step on it, smack it with something, or in other words, kill it. A few people might actually think “eat it” and I would rather have people think that way, than to kill it for no other reason.
Insects represent a test to each of us. How much compassion do we have for something that has nothing to offer us? Perhaps we save the lady bug because it eats aphids, perhaps we save the dragonfly because not only do they eat mosquitoes, but are considered lucky. Very certainly we hit the wasp.
We tower above them, yet still find an odd pleasure in killing them. We tell big kids to “pick on somebody your own size” yet we step on ants.
Our lifespan is 80 years, more or less, yet we relish squishing something with a fraction of that. The worst thing a wasp can do to us, is to sting us, so we kill it in anticipation of something so simple as the threat of a sting. I have been stung many times, including once as a two year old when I was stung in the mouth after biting an apple with a wasp on it. Some time ago I realized the truth in that if you do not hurt them, they will not hurt you, and do not fear bugs really at all.
Now I practice a “Catch and Release” program at work and in my home. Basically if I am not going to eat the bug, and so far I haven’t taken to eating bugs intentionally, if we are not going to feed it to our Anole, or Chickens, the insect gets set free. At work a lot of insects, mostly grasshoppers and flies, get into the store. Flies are tricky, they move too much, but grasshoppers are an easy catch and I toss them out the door.
Occasionally a bee or wasp finds its way into the store, they usually buzz around the front window trying desperately to get out. Why should I not sympathize with them just as any other living creature stuck, confused, trying to get back to the wilderness? So, yes, I offer the bees and the wasps my finger to climb up on to.
Did you know that without bees, the human race might only last another four to five years? Did you know some wasps only live a few months? Never once have I been stung, most of the time the little insect rides my finger to the door where I release it back outside. Some times they resist, forcing me to use Rescue Plan B.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lepidophora_lepidocera.jpg
Rescue Plan B involves getting a cup or glass and putting it over the little insect friend, then sliding paper underneath the opening, careful not to pinch any feet in the process. Then the paper can be held against the cup and used to trap the insect inside while taking it to the door for release.
We should have sympathy for other living things. This is not even about being vegan (I am not) its just about having compassion. Remembering that other things want to live just as bad as us. Sometimes more, after all, there are no EMO insects.
I think of it this way, myself as a human will do more harm to the world in one month of my existence than an insect will do in its entire life. This is indisputable. I will eat more plant matter than any grasshopper, I will cause the destruction of more trees than any pine beetle, I will eat more animals than any flea. I still want to live too though…. It can even be argued that I will do more damage to the world than an insect that spreads disease to people, after all, we cannot assume that the end all, be all of the planet, relies on humans existing, it does not.
We can be sympathetic to other living things, we just have to see that we are not the center of the world.
Living totally cruelty free is impossible, but every step helps.
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User Comments
giftarist
On August 30, 2009 at 4:48 am
A very unique topic.. and very interesting sympathy..Thanks for sharing
Marie Milton
On August 30, 2009 at 5:09 am
I checked out this article because I think I’m the only person I know who picks up bugs and small creatures with my hands, or as you say a glass or something similar, to assist the little ones to get to there proper invironment. If somesone from my family finds a bug they call me over the name it….hehe…and do what I mentioned before.
How many people have I heard tell me, ‘yuk, don’t touch it, it might bite!!!’. Yeah, yeah, blah blah blah…
Anything with a heartbeat has a right to live. I’m sure an ant has a heart…hehhee…
I thank you for putting on this article because it might show others to have a little curtousy for the tiny little bugs of our planet.
Thanks again…
Marie
ken bultman
On August 30, 2009 at 5:34 am
You are a kind, compassionate person, Brenda. I suspect the number of intruding insects in northern climes might not reach the numbers of those in the sub-tropics. Individual catch/release would be dicey at best here.
R J Evans
On August 30, 2009 at 5:40 am
Absolutely! Insects are part of the food chain and without them we would die in just a few years. A little time and respect is all it needs!
Not sure why this is on Authspot though….
martie
On August 30, 2009 at 7:34 am
I’m not a bug killer myself, but after a week of flies biting my ankles I was tempted!
Lostash
On August 30, 2009 at 8:29 am
I love bugs as you know, and I agree with you 100% on this. They are a vital part of any ecosysytem too! Embrace the bug!!!
Avaxier
On August 30, 2009 at 10:52 am
I agree, the insects are one of the most important creatures for our survival. Many people doesn’t know this though and this is very informative.
Nice article, I love it!
lindalulu
On August 30, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Interesting! I wont hurt them but I also do not want them near me…
PR Mace
On August 31, 2009 at 2:17 pm
I have to agree with you. Why kill sometime so small and harmless. I have to really watch myself with spider however, I don’t like them and I usually get my husband to relocate them and their webs. I just don’t want them to crawl on me.
Daisy Peasblossom
On August 31, 2009 at 9:20 pm
For the most part, I agree. I’m afraid I have to draw the line at offering hospitality to fleas, however.
Anne Lyken Garner
On September 1, 2009 at 8:39 am
I won’t say that I’m a bug lover (apart from ladybirds). I don’t squish them though. I let them out of the house on a piece of card or something – definitely not on my hands.
I appreciate that in order to have butterflies in my garden, I have to let the catepillars feast on my plants – I let them.
A unique article. And I agree, there is no need to squish insects. Though, if I see one heading for my child, I will bat it away, but not with any intention to kill it.
Ruby Hawk
On September 3, 2009 at 9:27 pm
I agree we should leave insects alone. I go out of my way to go around spider webs and bees and wasps don’t bother me, neither do ants, I like snakes, but there are two insects I will squash and that’s fleas and roaches. I don’t want either one of those in my house. it’s okay if they stay outside. Oh, and I will swat a mosquito.
WriteEditSeek
On September 4, 2009 at 12:16 pm
Well-written article on compassion–it says a lot about your character. It reminds me of the Jains, who won’t kill anything–not animals, not insects, not plants. They promote a philosophy of non-violence towards all life. I have great respect for them.
Cache Ecrivain
On September 16, 2009 at 9:00 am
There are some bugs that totally creep me out, and I can’t stand–cockroaches being #1–but I still never kill them.
There are a lot of bugs at my work, and the ladies I work with are ALWAYS killing them, whether they are harmless bugs, or something like a scorpion.
But even at my home, if we find a scorpion we catch and release it.
I’m always trying to save the bugs I see at work, but TWICE while I was trying to save it whoever I was working with came up and killed it right in front of me. It really upsets me and I just get mad at them(not out loud). lol Even if I say a bug is harmless, it’s a gonner if someone else is around.
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