Gross or Interesting: Depends on How You Look at It! ;)
As I was finishing getting into my PJs tonight, Kat came to the door and said "Dad, I have a job for you". Usually this is code for there is something gross that needs doing, and so I am asking you to take care of it.
So thinking of recent experience I say "What, is there some cat poop to clean up?"
Kat walks in with an old Spanish workbook that has been sitting on the shelf for quite some time, and she has it wide open and I see the binding is loose. "Can you take care of these gross things?" I look closely and there are maybe half a dozen small white caterpillars in the binding, looking fat and happy for caterpillars, they are having a feast at the binding glue's expense!
I guess they are grain moth larvae, since these do come in with the cockatiel food. Recently we have put the food in airtight containers and put up moth traps and that has helped a lot, but apparently these guys' mom got in under the wire, so to speak.
I removed the caterpillars by hand (and believe it or not I felt a bit sorry for them!) and took them outside to the wood pile where they will probably be a meal for something perhaps. They did look fat and happy, clearly enjoying their nice warm environment with plenty of good food, complete with a quiet place to pupate, and here I go taking them outside into the cold and dark...
But Kat had a good point. "I don't mind them outside, on the woodpile, on a leaf, but I do mind them on my artwork, eating my books, and living in my room!" I sure can't blame her for that! ;)
So thinking of recent experience I say "What, is there some cat poop to clean up?"
Kat walks in with an old Spanish workbook that has been sitting on the shelf for quite some time, and she has it wide open and I see the binding is loose. "Can you take care of these gross things?" I look closely and there are maybe half a dozen small white caterpillars in the binding, looking fat and happy for caterpillars, they are having a feast at the binding glue's expense!
I guess they are grain moth larvae, since these do come in with the cockatiel food. Recently we have put the food in airtight containers and put up moth traps and that has helped a lot, but apparently these guys' mom got in under the wire, so to speak.
I removed the caterpillars by hand (and believe it or not I felt a bit sorry for them!) and took them outside to the wood pile where they will probably be a meal for something perhaps. They did look fat and happy, clearly enjoying their nice warm environment with plenty of good food, complete with a quiet place to pupate, and here I go taking them outside into the cold and dark...
But Kat had a good point. "I don't mind them outside, on the woodpile, on a leaf, but I do mind them on my artwork, eating my books, and living in my room!" I sure can't blame her for that! ;)