per·i·pa·tet·ic
ˌperēpəˈtedik/
adjective
  1. 1.
    traveling from place to place, especially working or based in various places for relatively short periods.
    "the peripatetic nature of military life"
    synonyms:nomadic, itinerant, traveling, wandering, roving, roaming, migrant,migratory, unsettled
    "I could never get used to her peripatetic lifestyle"
  2. 2.
    Aristotelian.
noun
  1. 1.
    a person who travels from place to place.
  2. 2.
    an Aristotelian philosopher.

Friday, August 20, 2010

Ugly is as Ugly Does--Yellow-Necked Caterpillars Turn Beauty on Its Head

Ugly is as ugly does. Now where have I heard that expression before? Not many days after I encouraged those citrus-loving orange dogs to visit and feed freely in my garden, these strange creatures--yellow-necked caterpillars--reared their yellow-collared heads on our blueberry bushes. Oh, dear! What have I done to deserve this kind of attention? I wouldn't say these youngsters are as ugly as the orange dogs. They look rather dapper actually, as if they're dressed to impress. Those are pin-striped suits covered with a hair shirt worn outwards: "Trust me! I can do penance and look good at the same time." Okay, so maybe that interpretation is a little far out. I lay the credit for awakening my curiosity as to why we attach such abstract ideas as beauty or ugliness to things not human at blogger/writer/artist Sarah Laurence's feet. She directed me to a recent article in the New York Times that takes a stab in the dark at explaining our tendency to anthropomorphize. I do agree that I have some "aesthetic prejudices" toward some things in nature, but I don't agree with the article's overall premise that evolution brought me to this point. What would be the point of evolving so far as to see complex human characteristics in something as simple as a lowly caterpillar, if it is indeed "lowly"? There has to be more to it. Literature, perhaps? Reading too much into things? Or maybe just reading too much. If it's a sin, then I am unrepentant. Take Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, for example. Or maybe you shouldn't. It asks a lot soul-searching questions, and they come from the most unlikely of characters like the hookah-smoking Caterpillar: "'Who are you?'" And "So you think you're changed, do you?" he asks Alice. If you would ask me, I'd say, why yes. I'm not the same person I was in 1960, yesterday, or even 5 minutes ago, in a manner of speaking. And this cute caterpillar won't be as adorable when it grows up. It will look completely different, a plain Jane moth--handmaiden moth. Remember the ugly orange dog? If it survives to become what it's meant to be, it will be nothing short of beautiful, a giant swallowtail butterfly. And there goes that idea of aesthetic prejudice up in smoke. Another blogger, Britta, who is new to me but not to blogging, has recently experienced some prejudice regarding age and beauty, and she has found a creative way to vent her frustration. Hey, if you still got 'em, flaunt 'em. I like her style.

What I don't like is this caterpillar's style. It brings friends to join in the feast. Lots of them. I'll be honest with you. When I spotted these furry critters, of course I had to run and get my camera, tell SAM so he could see for himself, and then quickly find out what they are. Thank goodness for great websites! I wanted to know what kind of damage they could inflict and if it would be fatal to the blueberry bushes. These are still young shrubs and don't have a lot of foliage to spare just yet. I could not get over how many of those pin-striped caterpillars there were! SAM must have picked off at least three dozen of them. Yes, I couldn't stand to see the bushes I've tended so carefully be destroyed. We put the critters on the brush pile in the farthest corner of the backyard. Out of sight, out of mind. Let them fend for themselves, away from the heart of the garden(er). Okay, so I'm a little over-protective when it comes to something I've spent a lot of time on. These bushes have a long way to go before they're finally ready to bear a good crop of berries. Especially now. 

As you can see, they have been robbed--or have they?

15 comments:

  1. Interesting, I would like to read that article. I do the same. Also about us not being the same person over time. I agree with that too. Things never change and then all of a sudden, that old self is gone. BTW, Did the wet season pick up any?

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  2. Oh dear, I would have picked these guys off, too, to protect the blueberries. I think I see an analogy here---guys in pinstripe suits raping the landscape...or destroying the shoreline. Maybe that's a little farfetched, but there are some insects that just don't belong in the garden. I'm on the hunt for a tomato hornworm right now that seems to be eating one of my tomato plants. When I find him, there will be no mercy here:)

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  3. Mr. S, I hope no one thinks I'm just plain fickle, always changing. Yes, we have had fairly steady rainfall in our little part of Santa Rosa County, keeping the lawn more lush and green in summer than it has been in years. Of course, that means the mower is getting more use than it has in several years. But I'm not complaining.

    Rose, I hope you find your hornworm. Doesn't it turn into some kind of giant moth? Maybe you could just banish it from the garden with a little bit of severance pay--no golden parachutes, mind you! Can you tell it's primary election time here? There's probably been more anthropomorphizing than usual going on here:)

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  4. Oh, yes, the hornworm turns into a beautiful moth! Do you think it works to relocate the caterpillars to another location? Don't they prefer certain 'host plants'? ~karen

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  5. Whoa, you're right about it being a dry wet season up there, I just took a gander at the most recent drought index map for the state.

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  6. yes, too kill the buggers or not too kill the buggers. I have killed some insects in my day, but I try to do it in the least intrusive way.

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  7. Karen, it works for me! I'm glad you brought it up, the subject of host plants. These caterpillars don't require blueberry leaves for survival. It's just that they prefer them, when available, to a steady diet of oak and I think ash. Sorry, but those catts aren't getting their sweet tooth satisfied at my expense. There are plenty of oak trees around for them to feed on.

    Mr. S, we will probably have a wet dry season soon to make up for it. Seems like the weather tends to do that.

    Wayne, as long as we think positive, poetic thoughts along the way, it's probably going to be okay.

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  8. There just isn't any getting around it, when it comes to azaleas, these particular critters are a nuisiance and very hard to kill in any green kind of a way. In fact, if I remember correctly you don't want to handle them. So the choice is whether to keep the bush or keep the future moth, I always opt for the bush.

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  9. I can't say I recognize the caterpillar but I do recognize its chrysallis. I find those brown things all the time. They can do some damage so I am glad you got rid of them all!

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  10. They're beautiful but they sure do a lot of damage, eh?

    Please post pics if you happen to catch one when it matures.

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  11. Paula, I haven't seen any of them on my azaleas--yet. At least now I'll know what to suspect when a bunch of leaves start disappearing.

    Tina, this is the first time I've found these critters in the yard. I guess it's because I'm working toward a wildlife-friendly landscape. Some wildlife I can do without, though:)

    MBT, I will be keeping a close watch for any signs of the moth and post a pic if I find one. I have to admit, though, I hope I don't.

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  12. These guys can eat up a small tree fast. They sting, too, I've found. Not bad, but some. Very nice post, yours. May I add you to my favored links?

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  13. David, I got the impression from their work on the blueberry bushes that their teamwork can quickly cause some serious damage. I didn't handle them with bare hands because I figured those bristles were there for a good reason, and not just for looks. I would be honored to be in your favored links. May I return the favor?

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  14. It was interesting to read your reaction to the NYT article. I’ve always thought there is more too beauty than what we see on the surface.

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  15. Sarah, and don't you think there's more mystery too--things that can't be explained or neatly categorized and then shelved? You're so right about beauty. I've found it in some extraordinary places and deeper than I thought possible.

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