Sparing A Life

  It seems to be a buggy type of season around here.  Of course, I am probably uncovering a lot of insects that would prefer to stay "unseen" since I am doing a complete makeover of the old Rose Garden.  The fence posts and arbors all had to be pulled out due to termites so there was nothing to do except start again from scratch.  Yesterday saw me pulling out dozens of what I was told was "Seven Sisters Roses".  This is one of the nicest names the bush can have.  I have a nephew who insists that they should be called "Devil Bushes" because "they reach out and grab you with the thorns".  They do, indeed, but I refuse to call them that!  (Ok, so maybe the thought crossed my mind a few times as I was cutting, digging, yanking and otherwise destroying the rose garden.  Taking down things is a lot harder that putting them up when they are covered with thorny bushes!

  As I pulled one of the roses from the ground, a wiggly something or another caught my eye.  Ok...the work was put on hold as I had to examine this wiggler.  This was not an earthworm nor a grub worm.  Time to grab the camera and fish that little thing out of the dirt.  Once the critter was in the palm of my hand, I realized that this was the nymph of a cicada.  Well, it is about time for the critters to start making their appearance and fill the night with their loud calls.  The cicada nymph was not entirely happy with being in my hand so I tried to think of the safest place for it since I would be digging near where I found it.  Since these nymphs suck the juices from plant roots, I decided that the best place for my new-found friend would be in the daylily bed.  (Yes, I know the lilies may not be overly happy with this decision.)  This bed has a lot of dollar grass and other weeds since I have not been diligent about weeding it lately.  Perhaps my critter friend will return the favor of its relocation by eating only the weed roots!  (Please, Cicada??)  

  As I was giving my critter friend a helping hand, I got to thinking of how I am probably one of only a handful of people that actually like these critters.   I hear so many negative remarks about the nymphs diet habits, the molts/sheds left behind and the loud buzzing that it is obvious that the bugs are not a favorite of a lot of folks. So what if a few roots are eaten?  And the molts are pretty interesting things to show kids (or scare them) and does anyone else love to sit outside at night and listen to them?   I am good with all three.  The critters have a right to live, too, and hopefully, this one will do ok being moved.