book for sale
December 16, 2009
Hi Daniel,
Here’s that new entomophagy text as per our conversation [please let me know if there's any trouble with the attachment, I could send some digital images]:
JUST ABOUT IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS 2009! A NEW BOOK ON ENTOMOPHAGY!!!!!!
A very new addition to the literature on human insectivory, this reprint of the Food Insects Newsletter is PACKED with wonderful information. Orders welcome.
Thanks a lot!
Dave
www.smallstockfoods.com
The Food Insects Newsletter
Hi Dave,
WE are happy to post a notice on this bound edition. We hope our readership checks out the ad and snaps this up for the holidays.
I spent 15 minutes carefully wording and rewording a bug description,only to find that you don’t accept questions without a photo. The bug is only 1/8″ inch long, much to small to photograph.
If your policy is not to accept descriptions without a photo you should say so very clearly, more clear than the red dot, otherwise you just get people frustrated about the time they wasted.
John Murdock
Goodness gracious John,
Your fifteen minute long description doesn’t contain enough information for us to assist you since many insects are less than 1/8 inch long.
I appreciate the fact that my description may not have been adequate. The point I was trying to make is in the second paragraph of my message. Please re-read the second paragraph below.
¶ Posted 12 December 2009 § ‡ ° Natural History Museum: Exploratory Conversation?
November 9, 2009
Hi,
I work at the Natural History Museum in Expo Park. I am managing a project through which the museum will create 3 acres of outdoor green space on the north side of our building. We are aiming to create a place for our visitors to engage with local, urban, nature, including (my favourite, and it seems your’s too) insects! I would love to chat with you more about this project and about What’s That Bug.
Lila Higgins
We will contact Lila as soon as we have a spare moment.
Update: December 8, 2009
Yesterday, we had the long awaited telephone chat with Lila at the Natural History Museum. We are very excited to possibly work with the Museum on the outdoor space that is being constructed on the North side of the campus. We made it abundantly clear that we are clumsy amateurs, and not trained science professionals, but that characteristic is exactly what Lila believes the visitors to the Museum and the new outdoor space will find appealing. The area at the Museum will be planted once the existing hardscaping is removed, and it is hoped that the green space will attract fauna (insects included) that thrive in the urban ecosystem of Los Angeles. More and more attention needs to be placed on studying and trying to understand the creatures that live in our proximity, and there is just as much of a probability of discovering a species that is new to science in one’s own backyard as there is by making an expedition to the rain forest. Chances are good that the discovery may not be grand or flashy, but it could have economic significance, be it positive or negative. We are going to request that Lila provide a press release for the new space so that we can inform our readership. We have many faithful local fans, and Los Angeles remains a viable tourist attraction to our readership from around the globe, and we will all be eagerly anticipating the improvements at the Natural History Museum.
¶ Posted 10 November 2009 § ‡ ° Tagged: fanmail Inspiring Site – just another fanmail
November 5, 2009
I’m still currently trudging my way through your gigantic archive and loving it. I was always a bug lover, but I’ve learned so much and been able to happily identify bugs in my area I’ve seen around (Including the sudden swam of Polkadot Wasp Moths and Oleander Caterpillars). I’ve also pleased to learn that many bugs I was afraid of are perfectly harmless (Mostly various wasp species.). Also while going through your site, I had a nerdy artist sort of epiphany: Insects are like living art. So many have such wonderful color schemes and designs. Even bugs with neutral colors can be incredibly striking. Ever since I’ve been making a collection of photos off your site for color scheme references in my own art. It’s wonderful that there are some very good professional and amateur photographe rs contributing with their photos. Anyway, thanks so much for providing this service and your own educating comments. I look forward to finishing your archives.
Regards,
Casey
Thanks for the sweet email Casey.
¶ Posted 05 November 2009 § ‡ ° Tagged: fanmail Very Entertained.
October 27, 2009
I know you guys get messages and comments all the time saying how wonderful your site is. But, I just wanted to add one more things to your list of comments. Your site is very entertaining to me. I cought myself staying up til 4 in the morning just looking at all of the different kinds of bugs you guys have posted. I know, I’m a nerd. I am just so creeped out yet intrigued by insects. Especially the spiders. I always see an interesting bug and try to stop and look at it but my husband doesn’t seem as entertained by it as me so I have to move along. Now that I have found your site I can look at bugs for hours on end. I also love it because I am a new mommy and every time I see a new bug in the house or around my newborn, I wonder what dangers it is bringing or if it is beneficial. You he lp those worries go away. Thanks and keep up the great work!
Amber suarez
Thanks for your sweet letter Amber. We always like getting new fans. Since we have no plans to disappear from the internet, when your child begins to grow, hopefully you will be able to use us as an educational tool.
How do I become a member?
I’m sure this question has a very obvious answer but how on earth do i become a member to this site? I have looked high n low but only found one place where it says log in but nothing about registering.. Do I have to make a donation to be a member? Thanks again for taking time to reply to my previous babble. 
Amber
Hi Amber,
Our site does not have a membership. Anyone may write in, but alas, we are unable to post every submission we receive. We select letters at random, often based on the subject line of the email. Our services are free to anyone, but again, sending in an identification request is no indication that you will receive a response. Though we do have a donation option, this is entirely voluntary, and donating to the site is never a guarantee that your letter will be posted. Since we are such a small operation, we cannot provide unlimited access. Thanks again for your interest.
¶ Posted 27 October 2009 § ‡ ° Tagged: fanmail Thank you
October 3, 2009
I just submitted a question for you, and forgot to tell you how much myself and my boys enjoy your site. I have two boys, 8 & 3, who are fascinated by bugs. While I am not squeamish of bugs, and don’t believe in unnecessary carnage, I am not an expert or even a student of insects.
I also homeschool my boys. Your site, and bugguide.net have helped me immensely in identifying various specimens that they find. Both sites have also helped me turn their curiousity into a teaching moment. Your unecessary carnage comments have helped me make the same points to them, (it isn’t just momma’s opinion anymore) and my oldest has gained an understanding of each creature having a place in the cycle of life.
Thank you for your labors!!
The Koelbls of Noth Alabama
Unavoidable Carnage?
September 29, 2009
Hi Daniel
This is not an ID request and I am not suggesting a new category – I just thought you might find this interesting. I habitually check my grill after a road trip to see what I missed, or more correctly, what I hit but might have seen had I stopped more frequently to look around. Here’s what can happen during a late summer trip down some prairie country roads. I hasten to add that this was not my truck; I have never been quite so morbidly “successful”. I wonder if anyone has thought of using vehicle grill counts as a way of conducting insect surveys. Regards.
Karl
Car Grill Insect Collection
Hi Karl,
This photo is actually quite gorgeous, despite the great loss of life.
Car Grill Close Up
¶ Posted 29 September 2009 § ‡ ° Tagged: fanmail Hi. I’ve been browsing this site for a while, but this is my first post.
I teach a group of four-year-olds, and among the many, many things I find myself repeating daily is “Let it be! Insects are helpers!” with respect to whatever critter my kids have discovered, whether indoors or on the playground (of course, when something is discovered inside the classroom, we find a way to get it outside).
The children, of course, are fascinated by insects, and, while insects’ identities could be taught through photographs and books, to teach the children to appreciate and respect animals and their purposes is best reinforced in practice. That is, to tell a child that a spider is beneficial and to smash it in front of him is counterproductive.
Unnecessary carnage and a lost moment for education. Terrible shame.
However, because of the age of the children I teach and their tendency toward kinesthetic learning, we do have an insect collection in the room. I want to teach respect, not hypocrisy, so the insects pinned to the board were all found dead. When a child finds an empty exoskeleton or a fallen butterfly on the playground, we pin it to the board and talk about what it is and how it might have come to its current state. Then, of course, comes the “Insects help us” talk.
I try to balance respect for a child’s preferred method of study with respect for the insects themselves. This is why we have only pre-deceased findings in our collection, imperfect though they may be when they are found.
To rely on photographs alone is a difficult way to keep kids interested. They need to experience more than an image can allow. An insect, living or dead, that is in front of the children makes it relevant to them and gives them more patience to listen while we talk about that insect.
Occasionally, however, my philosophies are put to the test, as was the case the day I found an adult, female black widow spider scooting across the playground. I had to get her off the playground and far, far away from my class. There was a considerable amount of panicking on my part, but no one was harmed, and the children learned that, even though we shouldn’t hurt any minding its own business, there are some creatures that, when discovered, need to be reported to mom and dad.
shellyc
Hi shellyc,
Though your letter arrived as a comment on a previous posting regarding the merits of starting an insect collection, we felt it needed to stand alone as well and post to our homepage. Thanks for your valuable perspective on this point.
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