Insect Hunting

Have I told you why I have been collecting insects? My entomology class requires all students to collect and preserve 150 different kinds of insects within the whole semester. As if finding 150 different kinds is not hard enough, we must also handle them with much care so as not to damage their body and their appendages. I personally think that lepidopterans and odonates are the hardest to preserve. Lepidopteran wings get damaged easily while odonates turn brittle when they die. I still do not have any from the two orders until now. Which reminds me, I only have around one month left to complete my collection. The last time I did my inventory was this afternoon. I only have 43 different kinds. Should I start panicking?

I have been frolicking around the campus hunting insects. I am also on the search for mating insects. We are holding this exhibit on September at the Institute of Biology in the University of the Philippines, Diliman. It will run for a week and will showcase photographs of mating insects. Everyone is invited to view the exhibit.

That dragonfly was the first insect and the first dragonfly I caught from the farm. I captured it using my bare hands. It was the first time I touched an insect voluntarily (except for mosquitoes I swat) and I felt weird and happy at the same time. It broke on the next morning, unfortunately. And those are my friends taking a break from helping me look for insects around the campus. The one in green is Rabbi and I must tell you, he has a good eye for mating insects. I should take him with me the next time I search for mating insects.

The field trip in UPLB helped a lot in my insect collection. The bulk of the collection is actually from the trip, but it is not enough.

I went to the farm today with Mom and Dad and my sister. I set up traps around the area while I go chasing butterflies. The traps I set were only yellow plates filled with water and detergent - a thing I learned from my instructor. Yellow objects attract insects. The detergent sucks the surface tension from the water, entrapping the insects. That's the best I can do. I don't have resources to set up light traps or Malaise traps.

I caught 15 insects from my farm trip today. I'm hoping to catch more next time when we stay a little longer. Dad was on a hurry to meet someone so I didn't have enough time to exhaust the insects. Maybe I can ask some of my friends to come with me to the farm and help me catch insects in exchange for brazo de mercedes.

I caught this pretty dragonfly today. I kept it in a triangle envelope, but it still broke. Sad.

If there's one thing I learned from my entomology class that I'll never forget, it's that Sir Soc is the best. Wait, I meant two things. The second one is that insects are more afraid of you than you are of them. I know it's common sense and at the same time it contradicts with biting, stinging, and killing insects, but you get the point. I used to stay away from insects. I am not actually afraid them; I just don't want them near me. It's different this time. Now I want them near me. I need them near me. Now I have to run after them and curse myself to the deepest pits of hell if I let a pretty butterfly go. My entomology class developed my aggressiveness for insects. I began seeing or noticing insects wherever I go. I actually squeal and point and hop frantically when I see an insect. And I get this really disappointed face if my situation does not allow me to run after it.

I remember the first field work we had in the campus. One of my classmates asked our instructor why he took up entomology. He replied, "Well, it started with an elective." Another one of my classmates, aware of the fact that I hated entomology whispered to me, "Did you hear that? It started with an elective." I rolled my eyes and said, "Never." Who would have guessed I would learn to love entomology?