3
DiscoverMaineMagazine.com
It Makes No Never Mind by James Nalley
I
n the book titled, âThe Poem and the Insectâ by David Spooner, he refers to poet Thomas Grayâs evocation of a summer night and how he âweaves the insect into the art of beingâ: Now fades the glimmering landscape on the sight, And all the air a solemn stillness holds, Save where the beetle wheels his droning flight, And drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds. Such lines evoke the true essence of the first month of summer. However, in Maine, this month is also dominated by June bugs, which, according to Vincent Dethier in âYankee Magazine,â are âboisterous, rowdy blunderers that bang on the screens, thump at the doors, and whirl around porch lights as though intoxicated by the import of their message.â June bugs are red-brown beetles with shiny wing covers that appear in the northern hemisphere in general, and Maine in particular. A June bug begins as an egg in the soil that was placed by its mother before her death. For three years, the small grub feeds on roots and
Mars Hill âWhere the Sun Rises First in the USAâ 207-425-3731 ⢠207-429-8421 37 Main Street P.O. Box 449 Mars Hill, ME 04758-0449
marshillmaine.com
lives in total darkness until it emerges as an adult beetle. However, since each female buries between 50 and 200 pearl-sized eggs, the sheer number of grubs can destroy entire crops and kill lawns by severing the grass from its roots. Moreover, after the grubs have labored for three years, they emerge and make the most out of life over a single summer. According to Dethier, âIn human terms, it is as though a person spent a childhood of 68 years in order to enjoy as an adult a mere two summers.â Although adult June bugs are generally harmless, they are attracted to light, which can make the time on oneâs porch/patio an unpleasant experience. There are many instances in which a person is relaxing outside and is âdive-bombedâ in the head by one of these flying nuisances. For those who want to take a more active approach to stopping them, the online magazine âThe Spruceâ suggests âapplying an insecticide that contains carbaryl or trichlorfon in September, since the grubs are still close enough to the soil surface to be susceptible. This also makes it easier to wipe them all out.â For those who are more passive, by mid-summer, female June
bugs burrow into the ground and lay their eggs before they die. During this period, there is a considerable drop in the number of June bugs. Also keep in mind that frogs, birds, and snakes love to feast on them. As for their erratic behaviors, CBC Radio-Canada stated that âJune bugs have just weeks to reproduce. Then they die. Youâd be frantic too.â Well, on this note, let me close with the following: A sad, depressed man was sitting at a bar, contemplating the end of his life, and staring at a small, uneaten sandwich. Then, a trouble-making truck driver walks in, stands next to the man, and eats his entire sandwich. After the sad man begins to cry, the truck driver says, âOh, I was just joking man! Iâll buy you another sandwich.â The sad man wipes his tears and says, âThis is the worst day of my life. First, I was late to work and I got fired. Second, my car was stolen. Third, my wife left me. Fourth, I spent $10,000 on two African leaf beetles, which exude a poison that causes death by paralysis within two minutes. The confused truck driver asks, âUm, I donât get it⌠Whatâs wrong with the last one?â The sad man replies, âWell, the two beetles were in that sandwich!â
Colin Bartlett & Sons, Inc.
KATAHDIN CLAPBOARD COMPANY
⢠Logging ⢠Firewood ⢠Excavation ⢠Septic Systems ⢠Gravel
katahdinclapboardcompany.com Old Style Vertical Grain Made in Maine
For all your needs!
Cell: 207-694-2376 Office: 207-532-2214 Garage: 207-532-2450 Route 1 ⢠Orient, ME
Proudly serving New England with quality clapboards at an affordable price! Priming Available
207-528-2933 (Formerly the Northern Division of the Ward Clapboard Mill)
