Fear, Loathing and Displaced Disgust

I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.

The Spider Survey conducted by L.A. County Natural History Museum has so far cataloged over 175 species of spiders contributed by local citizens. Of these, the black widow, habitue of wood piles, crawlspaces, dry utility vaults and the like, is southern California's one notably dangerous spider. They are reclusive, even shy, but can be provoked to bite (like, why would you do that?), injecting their victim with a systemic neurotoxin that can be fatal. If you gotta work in their territory wear gloves, be alert, but if you are unlucky enough to be bitten by a black widow, see a doctor (preferably one that takes your insurance plan and knows something about systemic neurotoxins) right away. But all spiders have venom. That's how they subdue their prey. And prey they do on insects that fly and crawl, one after the other in a carnivorous procession. Spiders are important agents of biological control of pests including flies, mosquitoes, lots of plant damaging bugs, aphids, even sow bugs. Will they bite you? Spiders are reclusive, solitary creatures with no desire for human interaction. If bothered they might bite. The bites of a few species might cause harm. I have not been bitten even though I come within a fang's breadth of "molesting" some of them trying to get the perfect picture. As Charles Hogue would have said if he spoke Spanish, "No molestan las aranas." Because spiders do good but they might be cranky.

Still, there is a persistent fear of or at least prejudice against spiders amongst Americans. I'm willing to bet most citizens have never had face time with a green lynx or a sow bug killer (which might bite if you begged them to), let alone a black widow. People have mentioned fear or distaste for spiders in their comments on this blog. I don't take it personally, but I wonder why otherwise well meaning and intelligent folk distance themselves needlessly from an entire class of living things.

Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me.

Mention (or Google) arachnophobia, and the movie comes up. The title is idiotic because the make-believe spiders in that film were deadly poisonous and aggressive, and any reasonable person would fear them if they were real. On the other hand, the mental disorder arachnophobia is by definition an irrational fear of spiders, and is therefore something quite different from healthy respect, distaste or even justified fear. Even so, spider phobia is said to be one of the most common among people of European descent.

One theory has it that our ancestors long long ago in the days before everything had traumatic consequences as a result of encounters with things like snakes, dark, or precipices creating a biological predisposition for fear of those things among us their progeny. This line of reasoning has merit, however in the case of spiders you would have to question why spider fear is not at least equally found among all the cultures of the world. And, Dr. Beetle wonders about and even experiments with the lack of genetically coded spider fear in flies . . . those who should fear them most.

Graham C.L. Davey theorizes the prevalence of arachnophobia among Europeans is due to a connection made centuries ago in the minds of ignorant dark-agers between spiders and the plague. No, spiders did not spread the plague, but the thesis is that somehow Europeans became implanted with a disgust response because lots of random spiders were around when the plague plagued them. Disgust response is what you see when you find maggots wriggling in a forgotten potato or onion, or when your dog vomits on the hardwood floor. Disgust is a reasonable reaction to prevent one from eating moldy or infested food. Can disgust engender phobia? On Fredd Culbertson's extensive list of phobias siphonopteraphobia is not found even though it was fleas that spread the plague to humanity. Maggotphobia is not found; nor is flyphobia, or even botflyphobia, not mosquitophobia, nor tsetsephobia, though these species either spread disease, burrow into living flesh, or revel in filth. There is no bedbugphobia, although there is a phobia of lice, which seems more like a survival skill to me.

Could spider fear have been founded on an association of spiders with the Dark Side? Ooooooooo. Spiders are more evident in autumn, as the sun slips lower in the sky after the equinox. This is when the long hard-to-survive winter loomed large for our ancestors. Ancient Celts considered November 1 the new year, and believed the barriers between people and spiritual beings were lowered at this time. So a physical reality (shortening days, onset of winter and dormancy) took on supernatural meanings (communion with spirits) that was later given overtones of evil by churches. Spiders that had managed to go unnoticed through the happy bright spring and summer suddenly popped out with their big webs and big hairy selves in the autumn suddenly devoid of concealing foliage. And, they may have come to be associated with . . . the Dark Side. Oooooooooo. But spiders don't set out to be scary; they do not ally themselves with evil! They live their lives according to the spider code: hunt, grow, spin, grow, hunt, mate, hunt, spin, reproduce, hunt, die. They are big in autumn because . . . they've been hunting and eating and growing all summer long. Have they taken on shades of meaning (Evil . . . Scary . . . Danger!) for humans susceptible to myths? Or have centuries of reason, central heating, and electronic entertainment helped to overcome spider superstition?

I took a survey of friends and family, mostly of European descent. Most everyone said they feel fearful when a spider surprises them, say, by falling out of their pajamas, but they quickly recover their wits and deal with the creature sensibly. In the classic fight or flight response, they choose to fight or at least use tissue to flick the thing into a jar and put it outdoors. And a lot of these people said they feel disgust when they blunder into a soggy web in the early morning; but they also admit they are more disgusted with themselves for forgetting--again--the orb weavers do indeed like that particular spot to spin. Maybe they were just being nice (not wanting to offend my sensibilities) but many of them threw in comments about the good work spiders do around the house, and yes we know they are not all deathly poisonous. In short, I'm lucky to be surrounded by reasonable folk. Or maybe they're buttering me up for better holiday gifts.

And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye
to see its path. Where the fear has gone
there will be nothing.

As for the rest of western civilization which continues to wrong-headedly fear and loathe spiders, I offer a few of my personal theories as to why:

A. Spiders REALLY ARE SCARY, in fact EVIL. A very old Bible nibbled at by booklice was found by a reformed embezzler in a very old church outside of Glasgow; the missing letters were written down, fed into a computer, and found to spell out a message of dire warning against fraternizing with spiders. The belief goes the spiders--all of them!--are just waiting for the eighth sign before unleashing unspeakable terror on humanity. Only a select group of believers knows the whole truth and prophecy; these Selected Few direct missions to spread fear of spiders amongst their countrymen in hopes of personal salvation or at least contributions to the cause.

B. Western civilization has created people who are much like spiders: We hole up in our private castles, acquiring goods far beyond our actual needs, we practice ritual killing of our mates (divorce), and so on. So we project our self-loathing onto the hapless spiders of the world.

C. Being scared of things that aren't scary breaks up the boredom of day to day existence. It gives you things to talk about with your friends, and also compete against them with, but requires little mental or physical exertion to participate in. Urban legends about spiders are common (did you hear about the bottle of Pom with the mutated spider inside the cap?). It's so much more exciting to believe the harmless spider you flushed down the toilet was a deadly brown recluse. Wow, you were this close to death!

D. Spiders are our scapegoats. If we're having a bad day or feeling inadequate we can squish a helpless spider and feel so much better about ourselves.

E. Spider fear is just a social convention, like dressing baby girls in pink or wearing a red tie to a political debate. Like going to your school's football games even though your sport is creative writing and no football player has ever come to one of your readings, now have they? Like going along with bad policies for the good of the country or voting the party line, fearing spiders is just the right thing to do. Only a select group of people knows the whole truth: that spiders AREN"T SCARY but since we westerners act like we think they are, the whole rest of the world is either laughing at us or plotting to overthrow our spider-fearing way of life by means of a spider-blitz. This Select Group has been tasked with getting people to think about spiders in a new light, thereby vaccinating the population against the spider terror attack.

Well these are after all just theories, like intelligent design or the theory of declining second terms. I offer them so you can consider whatever feelings you have toward spiders in new ways. And because I really like to hear myself type.

Only I and the spider
will remain.

btw, an upsurge in the numbers of several species of local spiders--cyclopsa turbinata, putricia viridans, and several philistus species--has been noticed by the Agricultural Extension Office. They say they are seeking funding from the state to monitor this trend and determine what impact the doubling, and in some cases quadrupling, of the numbers of these spiders will have on Orange County. More on this as it develops.

Apologies to Frank Herbert.

XO Skeletons

Bugs leave stuff behind as they enact their little lives. We call it frass. If there was human frass, it could be stuff like my four pairs of converse caked with mud, grass seeds, gromulch and dog hairs sitting in a heap on the back porch. Some frass is ridiculously easy to find, like the webs you stumble into. Some frass is distressing, like the pile of termite droppings under your picnic table. But other very cool frass, shed exoskeletons, is kind of illusive. It would seem most bugs seek a concealed spot to molt.

The exoskeleton, aka cuticle, is secreted by the bug's epidermis in an amazing process in which the inner layers of the current exoskeleton are digested and recycled into the new exoskeleton. The structure of the exoskeleton is really nifty. One interesting factoid is that it's made of chitin, which also makes up the cell walls of fungi. Hmmmm, bugs and 'shrooms . . . what is the connection? Speaking of mushrooms, my brother-in-law (not the one who resembles the candidate for congress; the other one) and his wife once had dinner with us at Claim Jumper. They both ordered the prime rib (which mushrooms remind me of), ate most of it, and then each swallowed a chitosan tablet. Chitosan is interesting stuff made of chitin, but the jury is way out on whether it prevents fat absorption. Wings, I'd say the most significant evolutionary development in insects, are part of the exoskeleton, which enables flight without sacrificing a set of limbs. The same might be said for mushrooms, and also flying would burn a lot of calories, so it's all connected in a vague sort of way.

One thing the exoskeleton can't do is grow. Young insects'--larvae and nymphs--function is to grow so molt they must in an exquisite paradox: the insect (or spider) must shed its efficient protective layer to emerge as a larger version of its former self. The new covering takes a while to cure, and during this period the insect is pale, soft and vulnerable. Kind of like my feet when I kick off those tennies, although there the vulnerability would lie mostly in the nose of the beholder, not the feet. That must be why the molting creatures seek a hiding spot in which to complete the process. This process is repeated a number of times until the insect matures. Then, their mission is to disperse, mate and procreate. You'll never see frass with wings.

Some exoskeletons have color, but most I've found are pale and transparent. As species with incomplete metamorphosis (like stink bugs) grow, the color patterns in the instars change. The pigments must reside in the two inner layers (the procuticle) which are then reabsorbed and reorganized at each molt. Some insects and spiders change color in response to environmental conditions. What process accomplishes chemical change in the non-living cuticle?

Thanks to the entomology pages by John R. Meyer at NC State University for the info on morphogenesis.

Durian, and longlegged flies

Sometimes things seem to bubble to the surface, or drop in from a clear blue wind blown sky. I had never seen a fly like this longlegged fly before.

It's hardly likely this is a completely new organism discovered by me so where'd it come from? We had a blow this particular day, so maybe it rode in from the east on a hot dry wind, deposited in the garden like silt. All kinds of things get blown in on the santa anas: the smell of cows, flu, ash from distant brush fires. Why not a drop of emerald chitin? But perhaps this species has been here all along unnoticed by little me. Two possibilities: These longlegged flies emerge for a brief period each year, and I'm always distracted, scheming what to be for Halloween during their brief curtain calls. Or, they are here year-round and only now in this magic moment when the veil of selective significance was blown from my vision has the longlegged fly joined the population of my Personal Zeitgeist.

You know that phenomenon when something is brought to your attention; say, durian. Suddenly you hear stories about its nutritional value on NPR; there are references to its smell on sitcoms; the produce man at your supermarket suggests you try it when you had never, ever seen it here among the navel oranges and bananas. The durian has pierced your bubble of awareness; it's entered your personal zeitgeist, and will from now on be noticed by you. After noticing the longlegged fly, I've seen it in many places: just a small emerald flash among the leaves apparently foraging for prey; but I know its shape now, I'm familiar with its quick angular crawl along the leaf's surface, its long long legs, its pointed and boldly segmented abdomen.

As to the fly's identity; Bug Guide suggested it could be condylostylus; What's That Bug agreed, adding this genus is predatory on small insects. Last, cirrusimage.com concurs and itis.usda.gov lists no fewer than 47 species in genus condylostylus.

It's amazing how much stuff I don't know. Welcome to my little world, longlegged fly! I'm looking forward to finding out where, when and how you come to bubble up into my awareness.

And what else have I been missing?

How slow are slugs?

Slugs in my view are not bugs. Yet:

These slugs were found under a potted pineapple at 3:05 pm October 1. The pot was set aside and I went about my business of looking for bugs. Occasionally I checked back to see what they were up to. By 25 minutes later all the slugs but one had moved away toward shelter or the nearby soil.

On October 5, slugs were found under the same pot at 2:52 pm. Meanwhile my phone rang. I finished with that business, then realized I was thirsty, so grabbed a nice cool glass of water. Anyway, as you can see from this last shot the three slugs were dead from dehydration when I checked back at 3:34 pm. It looks like the one to the left made a run for it, but gave out not far from the point of origin.

Slugs require a cool moist environment to thrive. We typically get very little rain from May to late October in southern CA, so what slugs there are survive by hiding under things and emerging to feed only in the coolest times of the night. By the beginning of October I like to imagine the slug population is just hanging on by its radulas. Then we get the santa ana winds. These were weather conditions on the two days:

Oct 1 Max temp 83 F Min humidity 49%
Oct 5 Max temp 83 F Min humidity 9%

It appears the Oct 5 set of conditions is extreme enough to be lethal to unprotected snails in 30 minutes or less, while the Oct 1 conditions were not.

Q1. Are early October slugs slower due to reduced feeding opportunities? Q2. Do slugs move faster or slower when it is very dry out? Q3. Did the photographer feel remorse for drinking while the slugs were dehydrating? A3. Actually, yes. I'm sorry I missed the in-between photos. Q4. What is the best way to control slugs? A4. Whatever your method, make sure you can deploy it within 25 minutes.

Weather data are from CIMIS daily weather for Irvine CA which provides a decent reference point for most localities in central OC.

Political bug

We're having an election here in the 48th district, and no less than 17 candidates have qualified to run for a position on the US House of Reps. This is a special election necessitated by Bush's appointment of our previous congressperson, Cox, to a much more important job. Anyway, you know how those campaign signs proliferate.

The wild abandon and abundance of signs competing for space among the shrubbery reminded me of this group of recently hatched stink bugs vying for space on a spent dusty miller blossom.

Aside from this superficial resemblance, I have to wonder, "Are politicians like bugs in any meaningful ways?" We all know that not all of the stink bugs will survive, due to being out competed by stronger siblings, bad positioning on the plant substrate, quirks of genetic expression, and perhaps bad luck. At first the stink bugs all seem the same, just like the long list of names on my sample ballot. As time passes, in the case of the stink bugs just four days, differences like rate of growth and coloration begin to show among the individual bugs.

Among the politicians, you do begin to sense a whiff of differences, such as how much money they have raised. I took to the internet to see what else, if anything, sets any of these candidates apart from his or her 16 siblings. In a nutshell, here's what I found out:

Bea (yea bea#1) Foster: Neon orange signs say "End Iraq War Now"; is suing Jim Gilchrist for misrepresenting his profession to the elections board.
John Kelly: Proudly states he was jailed for a couple of hours for unlawful assembly at an abortion clinic; hey that looks like Mohammed Ali shopping in John's men's shop!
Jim Gilchrist: Features not 1, not 2, but 3 photos of Alan Keyes; and 3 photos of disembodied hands writing stuff, a la Bush; nice shot of a pistol strapped to the waist of one of his vigilantes.
Bruce Cohen: I'm a longtime firearms enthusiast; and safety advocate!!
John Graham: "Stop the Bleeding"
Steve Young: My ex-wife concurs I am not a dead-beat dad.
Marilyn Brewer: "I'm not your father's Republican!" (not an actual quote); I really like Ronald Reagan; endorsed by John McCain, and hey, my family surfs.
Guy E. Mailly: Quotes Ronald Reagan; he's "the Only Guy Running"; looks like my brother-in-law.
Marshall Samuel Sanders: website devoid of any information except dead link to "click and pledge".
Scott Maccabe: mystery man with 3 addresses.
Marsha A. Morris: Remove Thimerosal from Vaccines and Flu Shots!!!
Don Udall: He's a doctor but the "thinking man's candidate" has dropped out of the race; related to those other Udalls.
David R. Crouch: Common "Cents" Conservative; and he's a dentist!!
Edward A. Suppe: He's a Coast Guard veteran who seems very nice.
Bea (yea bea #2!!) Tiritilli: Nice green website; I like green.
John Campbell: Marilyn Brewer is a big fat liar; everyone but McCain endorses; bad poetry buried in the section tabbed 'writings'; lots of white guys in red ties who stand 100% behind the president.
Tom Pallow: Discover Qualityism!!

In many ways all of these bugs seem alike. They each have led exemplary lives of service to the community, have great families, and hold a sincere belief that their beliefs will serve their future constituents best. Each stink bug strives to create the best stink bug out of the plant juice he consumes, so he or she can propagate more stink bugs in his or her genetic mold, thereby of course making the stink bug community better in the only way he can.

The best I can hope is for the candidates to pick up their signs when the election's over. As for the stink bugs, I'm OK with them the way they are.

Breaking news: There are also two write-in candidates running!!!
Steve Wesley Blake: If you support my campaign financially I guranttee (sic) you 110,00% tenfold; very lengthy bio which I admit I did not read.
Delecia Holt: Author of 'Chocolate Covered Bananas', and 'Los Angeles Riots-A Collective Behavioral Approach'; which I also have not yet read.

Don't neglect to think, don't neglect to vote, citizens of the 48th District of CA.