Living Alongside Bugs

Bugs are real. They’re part of life. On the scale of things, bugs range anywhere from being a non-issue to posing serious danger. When we lived in town, I never really thought all that much about bugs. We had the occasional spider in the bathtub or fly zizzing around the house of course, but even when spending time in the backyard, bugs were nothing more than a pesky, once in a while minor nuisance. 

What is it that is sometimes said? Oh right, things change. Now that we live remotely in the woods, bugs on-the-daily are a new dynamic to learn how to co-habitate with. At present, flies are the main bugs I could do without. (Side note: Are flies bugs? I looked it up and my old paperback Webster’s says they’re winged insects. Are bugs the same thing as insects? I don’t know. Also, I don’t really care all that much. If you’re unclear about my usage of the word bugs here, just know that I’m using it liberally. When I say bugs, I mean any very small creature that crawls around or flies. Glad we got that cleared up.)

The list of bugs I either enjoy or don’t mind is pretty small: butterflies (I told you I was using the word liberally), ladybugs, beetles (unless it’s a pine beetle, those kinda creep me out), roley poleys, caterpillars, and worms. If they’re not in my living space or crawling on me, I not only don’t mind ants but I find them rather interesting, and even sometimes fun to watch. I also don’t really mind spiders. 

Here’s the thing. Even for the bugs that I find really bothersome, while I’m not against setting out traps or using sprays when it’s needed, I have a really hard time with killing them. I’m an avid catcher & releaser of indoor bugs. I’m not saying I don’t kill them from time to time, but mostly I do the ole cup scoop & cover move to transport & usher them back outside. 

Last year, after being inundated with wasps and yellow-jackets, we bought a trap with bait. This year, we have two bait-style traps. We also used ant spray, to keep what may have been carpenter ants, away from the foundational pillars of our cabin and our outhouse. With the large presence of flies this year, I bought a really simple fly trap that attaches to a regular to-go cup. The theory is that you fill the cup with pop and then put the lid on. The flies can then get in through the lid but not back out. It was a total bust. Not one fly fell for it. I then looked at getting a different model, but after spending what felt like a really long time perusing the bug-killing aisle at ACE, I just couldn’t bring myself to get another trap. I haven’t ruled it out, but I’m trying to see if it might be a thing for me to just get used to living with flies. I mean, it’s not like they bite or sting or anything. They’re just really annoying. They’re also not invading our cabin. But they can be a real hassle and bother around our outdoor washing station set up. I can also only tolerate them buzzing in my ear and divebombing my face for so long, when I’m outside writing or typing or reading. Fortunately, their time to shine is limited. They aren’t out in the morning or in the evening past around 6:30 or so. And we don’t have mosquitoes. So it could be way worse is what I’m saying. 

Prior to starting this EM blog last summer, I spent 10-years actively writing posts on my personal blog (which still continues; see here if you’re interested). This info is to help set the stage when I tell you: never have I thought about crafting a blog post about bugs until now. What is it that is sometimes said? Write what you know was it?

Knowing what to do about bugs can be a conundrum for sure. For me, it’s not as clear cut as whether to kill them or not. While ultimately this is what it comes down to, there’s more involved to choosing whether to terminate them or let them be. There’s reverence for life to consider, and respect for other beings. There’s expanding my comfort zone and strengthening my practice of patience & acceptance for things as they are. There’s what feels morally right to do and what doesn’t. It’s complicated. I guess for me, at the end of the day, it’s about how much the bugs are negatively affecting my life, or that of others who come to visit EM.

Just like with everything else, there’s no one right answer. Just like with everything else, we do our own best to make the choice that works for us. And sometimes it takes some trial & error, and hemming & hauling, to figure out what our own best is.