Arron Cannon - UNT Geography Major
Searching around my apartment complex for an interesting spot to deem a mandala I came across an extremely orange, interesting looking insect that was perched on a tree branch about three meters from the side walk I was walking down. The bug had an awful but unique smell that seem to be more concentrated the closer I came. What struck me as strange was that the weather was a cold, in the high fifties, too I cold I had previously thought for insects to be out and about. The pungent reeking bug had a tiny, circular spot that laid right in the middle of the critter’s thorax. The black spot was perfectly shaped in all directions. I followed the spot with my eye multiple times and at multiple angles to see if I could find a flaw in natures perfectly drawn circle but failed to locate an error. The insect’s antennas were also of a bright orange color. I questioned nature’s reason behind such a bright color and what evolutionary path created such a loud, un-camouflaged insect. Then I thought, with such a foul smell to kept predators at bay the insect did not need to be camouflaged to thrive, predators could not get close enough to kill or eat the insects from becoming overwhelmed from the disgusting aroma the bug secretes. How witty nature can be at times I also thought. Then, with absolute no warning the horrid stench admitting bug quickly crawled into a crack in the tree and disappeared from sight. All that remained was the profane smelling remnants that placed the bug at the scene only moments ago.
Searching around my apartment complex for an interesting spot to deem a mandala I came across an extremely orange, interesting looking insect that was perched on a tree branch about three meters from the side walk I was walking down. The bug had an awful but unique smell that seem to be more concentrated the closer I came. What struck me as strange was that the weather was a cold, in the high fifties, too I cold I had previously thought for insects to be out and about. The pungent reeking bug had a tiny, circular spot that laid right in the middle of the critter’s thorax. The black spot was perfectly shaped in all directions. I followed the spot with my eye multiple times and at multiple angles to see if I could find a flaw in natures perfectly drawn circle but failed to locate an error. The insect’s antennas were also of a bright orange color. I questioned nature’s reason behind such a bright color and what evolutionary path created such a loud, un-camouflaged insect. Then I thought, with such a foul smell to kept predators at bay the insect did not need to be camouflaged to thrive, predators could not get close enough to kill or eat the insects from becoming overwhelmed from the disgusting aroma the bug secretes. How witty nature can be at times I also thought. Then, with absolute no warning the horrid stench admitting bug quickly crawled into a crack in the tree and disappeared from sight. All that remained was the profane smelling remnants that placed the bug at the scene only moments ago.
 |
| Photo courtesy wikipedia.org |
After arriving back home, my attention then moved to researching the strange insect I had just encountered. The scientific name for the queer orange bug is Oebalus pugnax or better known as the rice stink bug. I found that the type of stink bug was not native to N. Texas, which was even more interesting. How did the insect get to N. Texas? I found that most other information dealt with the insect being a pest but particularly to rice fields. Honestly, I was more interested in the odor the bug produces when threatened than I was with the bug being a pest to rice fields. I also found through further research, that I was lucky that the bug did not expel a stream of potent Trans-2-Decenal and Trans-2-Octenal (the chemicals mixed to produce the horrid smell) at my face since most stink bugs can shoot the odor inducing chemicals several inches from their abdomen. The fact that the bug was admitting the smell proved that I had threatened the little critter in such a way that stimulated its odor producing gland. I know now to be more cautious when approaching an insect I’m not familiar with for the next time I may not be so lucky.
No comments:
Post a Comment