Summer of the Bug

This summer has been all about catching and caring for the elusive, short-lived, and often unwanted creatures of the lawn and garden. So far the kids have created habitats for one green caterpillar that refused to turn into a butterfly and was released during a secret humanitarian mission by Charlie and Maya; one damsel fly; more “rolly pollies” than I can count; one very strange and unidentifiable caterpillar; one fly; spiders that aren't too intimidating to catch; several lightening bugs; and a worm named Topsoil. It’s not unusual for me to look out the window and see a small child, crouched in a hunting position in my flower bed, wielding a bug net, tweezers, and a bug cage. The scene that quickly follows always includes another child standing in my kitchen with the bug in tote asking, “Please, mommy, will you look up on the computer what this eats?” I don’t even want to know.