The Bug Man

Michael has discovered Wooly Bear caterpillars and he is in love. We found two yesterday that he named Mr. Flubbers and Mr. Silverstein. You gotta love the names! He's also discovered those fuzzy yellow caterpillars with the tall black spikes and is equally fascinated, mostly because I've warned him they can sting and cause his hands to swell up. So he's got a million questions about how they sting, why they sting, how bad does it hurt if they sting...Found a couple of those out back as well and I think Tucker even ate one. That can't be good. The dog will eat anything it can get in its mouth! No wonder he's always sick...I believe all the caterpillars have been relinquished back into the wilds, except the unfortunate eaten one. Well, we all must meet our demise one day...

Michael has always had a fascination with bugs-hence his nickname, Bug. I told him he should become an entomologist. "What's that?" he asks. "Someone who studies bugs." Yeah, he thinks he'd like to do that--and get paid! To look at bugs! Cool. Who knows, maybe he'll end up in the movies someday like those two bug nerds in "Silence of the Lambs"...he could be a star! Or he could have his own reality TV show, flying to exotic locations around the world and tracking down the world's weirdest bugs. It could happen! As long as he's not eating those bugs like Andrew Zimmern...yuck!

There's actually quite a lot of interesting jobs for entomologists--who knew? Forensic entomologists study the bugs found on corpses involved in criminal investigations (ewww!) There are all sorts of research avenues in pest control, agricultural as well as medical studies. Jobs exist with the government, at colleges, universities and museums. Apparently they even make a pretty decent living!

So long as all the bugs are kept OUTSIDE of my house, McBug can study all the creepy critters he can find in the yard and around the neighborhood. We've already gone through myriad bug houses and terrariums over the years--fortunately they're fairly cheap and easily replaced. You never know where simple curiosity might take you...

Mr Flubbers