Lessons from an Strange Critter

   Last week, I tried to salvage some "baby" azalea bushes from the huge ones flanking the lane.  Those have overgrown the area and need to be trimmed so any rooted limbs were pulled and promptly put in five gallon buckets of water with intentions of transplanting as soon as possible.  Well, a week came and went.  The young bushes are still sitting in water but, as standing water is prone to do, the buckets became a magnet for mosquitoes hunting for a place to lay eggs.  Periodically, it was necessary to empty the buckets and put fresh water around the roots. Yesterday when I did this, not only were lots of "wiggle-tails" (mosquito larvae) found, there was a huge larva of some sort.  I was taken aback at the sight of this thing!  For some reason, anything that has a body that is clear enough to see the inner organs becomes unsettling, plus, this thing had a long "stinger-like" thing on its tail!!  It was weird! Research time.

  This rather startling looking critter is not that threatening.  It is called a "rattail maggot" for obvious reasons. The critter is about 2 1/2 inches in length and is the larva of a dronefly or hoverfly (both names for the same fly).  That ominous looking "stinger" is how the critter breathes!  It is used as sort of a snorkel, of sorts.  (Told you it was weird!) The critter poses no threat to humans as it does not bite nor sting.  It merely goes about pollinating plants while being mistaken as a bee or biting fly of some sort.  Thankfully, the odd looking larva was saved and can live to adulthood.  

  There are two thing that I gathered from this encounter.  One...sometimes clarity or being overly clear can be unnerving.  It is not always pertinent to "lay everything on the table" (especially on social media).  Other people do not need to be filled in on every aspect of your life.  Some things are best left unsaid and unseen.  Two...it is easy to be mislead by appearances, not only with critters, but with people.  Sometimes, those with seemingly perfect lives are struggling.  Be kind to all.