We gave Linus a Bug Jug, which is a little container to hold bugs while one examines them. In Linus' case, it meant quizzing me endlessly about sow bugs. I was clearing out a large climbing plant along our fence line so Linus and I can put in a little garden. Linus was delighted when I revealed sow bugs and ran into the house to get the Bug Jug. He had at least six in there and then started asking me questions:
"What eats sow bugs? Why don't they like the sun? How do you say sow bug in Spanish? What do they eat? What do they sound like?" The only one I could answer was that they eat things they find in the soil. This wasn't a good enough answer for him and he wanted to know exactly what they eat. So I ran into the house in search of a field guide to help. I took the book out and told Linus that sow bugs aren't insects because insects have wings and six legs. Linus promptly took the book from me and proceeded to "read" it out loud to the sow bugs. He started by telling them that they weren't insects because they couldn't fly. ( A bit later he told me that sow bugs in Wisconsin can fly.) He also "read" that we should be gentle and nice with them.
He put so much "homing" in with them (soil, mulch, leaves) that they probably felt like they were outside and free. I thought it was cute that he invented the meaning of "homing" to describe giving them things from their natural surroundings. In the middle picture he is looking at them with two magnifying glasses, one in the lid of the jug and a separate one we got him.
Later he very deliberately walked around some ants and said, "I don't want to hurt their feelings. Or them."
5 comments:
These photos of priceless. He's such a curious little boy and he obviously loves to learn new things!
At least he didn't ask you what sound sow bugs make!!
I love "homing" and will now use that as often as I can. Good word Linus! I remember sow bugs in CA but I don't think we see many in WI which may be because they fly away!
Oops, I guess he did ask what sound they make!!
He didn't want to hurt the ants' feelings?!? How much sweeter could he be?
I just read about sow bugs in an issue of Organic Gardening! I thought Linus would be interested to know that sow bugs are crustaceans (the only ones that live entirely on land). They are very similar to pillbugs but pillbugs roll into a ball when disturbed but sow bugs can't because they have two little appendages on their rears. It didn't mention how to say sowbug in Spanish.
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