West Virginia: Why All the Bugs?

Hello again from Appalachia! In our continuing saga of my new late-life shift, I find myself asking: Why all the bugs, West Virginia? Now, I was warned that crawling, flying, and other such insects would be abundant here, but I missed the memo’s context.

I don’t want to scare anyone off who is thinking about making this beautiful state their home, but I do want to be honest, especially to those coming from the Pacific Northwest. There are bugs there, but not bugs! I have encountered more species of fascinating creatures here than I have in my entire life. Centipedes, millipedes, ants of every variety, spiders of all kinds, beetles that both delight and intrigue, and every stinging flyer probably known to man. But, in their defense, I have yet to be bitten, stung, or otherwise inflicted.

It is easy to see why so many species thrive here. It doesn’t get quite cold enough long enough to kill them off, and they help to keep the food chain running for all the other species of fowl and bug-eating furries that exist here. So, I know that they are a necessary part of this new place I call home, and believe me, I keep telling myself that every time I discover a new one anywhere in my vicinity because I am not a bug person. I make strange noises and flee when confronted, and I imagine while I was cleaning out the front garden beds, those passing by via vehicle and my one close neighbor probably found watching me quite amusing. There are times when a good cuss word must be said out loud, and I quite possibly sounded like a drunken pirate.

Over time, I’ve started to adjust to the abundance of bugs here. I still feel like something is crawling on me at least a dozen times a day, and sometimes there actually is. But, I’ve stopped carrying a can of bug spray everywhere I go. I realized that by doing so, I might be killing some of the very creatures that I’ve come to appreciate and enjoy watching.

And here is where I get to the part where the ‘villains’ of this tale are redeemed! Sitting in my yard, I get to witness a myriad of colors as butterflies gracefully flutter by. At night, during the enchanting light show, I get to experience the Lighting Bugs (they are also pretty during the day as they are a metallic green color); I get a simple calm and joy each evening. And the honey bees, who are happy that we are letting the clover continue to grow in large portions of the yard, are providing the needed pollination to keep this place so green.

I will not become someone who won’t smash an ant underfoot now and then, but I get it, West Virginia. For every banana slug I find under a rock, many more things make me smile. So, bring it on! There are far worse things somewhere on this planet that people are experiencing that make me shrieking at the sight of a quarter-size beetle seems a bit petty. After all, they are just part of the rich tapestry of life here.

Now, you must excuse me; something may be crawling on my foot.