Today
I am very much looking forward to our next trip to Spain. Becky sent me a message: "We can visit the museum of natural sciences " she enthused. Among other things, they have a stick insect tank.
In My Day
When I worked for the Tax Office, back in 1983 or so, one of my colleagues told me that his brother was involved in the development of Moon craft. He said that they had studied stick insects and how they deal with uneven terrain. I assume he wasn't having a bubble, but what was true was that he had inherited a lot of stick insects.
"Perfect!" I thought "Lizzie would love a couple of stick insects!" We bought a fish tank and two stick insects were duly delivered. It seemed that they thrived on brambles and we had much enjoyments watching these strange creatures. Every now and then we would clean out the tank.
On one occasion, cleaning out the tank collided with making tea. Lizzie was absorbed in the watching an insect walk on her arm at the same moment as a cup of tea appeared. The stick insect nosed-dived into the hot tea. I dashed the tea into the sink as fast as I could but I think that the insect was scalded to death. Lizzie was distraught and, when the other one dies of natural causes, we put the tank away as a monument to failed endeavour.
Some months later, when I had to find a new home for the tank, I found a couple of baby stick insects, whose fate I cannot now recall.
Lizzie never kept stick insects again and refused to drink from the mug, which I rather insensitively called "The Stick Mug".
But Lizzie does now have a "no kill" policy for all insects other than those that are trying to eat or kill her, so I guess the stick insect didn't entirely die in vain.
