A couple of weeks ago I was contacted by someone I’ve never met before via Flickr. He had found my stream by searching for hornets and obviously liked what he saw, because he emailed me to ask if I had any more hornets that I could send him. Really, I was cold-called and asked if I could capture a hornet and send it across the country so that he could have his wicked way with its… antennae… and… mandibles.
He even told me how to deal with the hornet, once I’d caught it. ‘Freeze it’ he said. ‘Just pop it in the freezer for a few hours and then send it over.’
And so I did. Two weeks had passed, but last night a hornet flew into my room — and I flew into action! I cowered behind my door, biding my time, as always (I’ve been bitten by hornets before). Eventually he settled down on the woodwork of my sash windows and KABLAM! I struck, catching it ‘neath a cup. Then I murdered the poor bastard by putting him in the freezer. It was actually the first time I’ve intentionally killed an insect. I felt rotten.
Why though? Why did some guy want one of my hornets?
To draw it! He’s a frickin’ artist and an incredibly talented one at that. He likes insects (and collects and rears insects!) — and who am I to deny him one of my many hornets?
I killed, but it was in the name of art! Worse things have been done for creative ends.
* * *
I fly off to Montenegro on Wednesday. I’m aware that I still haven’t written much about it. It’s very hot and humid in England right now, and typing with sweaty fingers is horrible and laborious. But, yeah, Montenegro is actually a vacation for me. I will take some photos, but the primary purpose for this trip is to relax. It’s hard to describe just how mentally exhausting my current lifestyle is. I need to unplug for just a little while.
Eleni
Jul 19, 2010
First time you intentionally killed an insect? Have you never had to defend your home from a fruit fly or ant invasion? Have you never swatted at a mosquito? Well, I hear freezing to death is one of the more peaceful ways to go, so at least it was sort of humane. And it didn’t writhe in the way insects sometimes do when you squish them.
sebastian
Jul 19, 2010
Yeah! I like to think it was a fairly humane murdering. Don’t insects lack a central nervous system? So the cold probably just slowed its metabolism down until it died. Like… cryogenics!
I had a friend that used to leave pots of beer outside for ants and slugs to drown in. I’ve never done it though!
I’m about as pro-life as you can get, without actually being pro-life
nicopolitan
Jul 20, 2010
Oh fine, go on your holiday. But we expect posts of this caliber or better upon your return. You see what happens when you set a precedent?
sebastian
Jul 20, 2010
I will try my very hardest, Nico! Hopefully the artist will have drawn my hornet by the time I return too! I’m sure it’ll look better than my photograph
Thinking about it, I’ve probably swatted a few mosquitoes, Eleni. But I don’t think I’ve ever hit any… I’m slow and lumbering like that
Fortunately we don’t have cockroaches or silverfish… or many mosquitoes!
Eleni
Jul 20, 2010
I tend to spare the types of bugs that seem like they just got lost and wandered inside by accident. I’ll try to scoop them up and release them outside or guide them out the door. But there’s no mercy for home invaders like cockroaches or silverfish. Or for mosquitoes. Got three bites at lunch today. Grrr.
Oh, and have a great trip!
AGD
Jul 20, 2010
Now you have the taste for it, will you graduate to larger animals? Send specimens to the usual address, ta.
sebastian
Jul 20, 2010
The freezer method would work for other animals, right?
We have lots of birds… and rabbits…
AGD
Jul 20, 2010
Well, a big-enough cold-enough freezer should do it. Best just to get one now which will fit certain species of hairless ape *wink*, just in case you really want to join the big leagues later.
Seriously, though, corpse photog is the way of the future
The Demigoddess
Jul 21, 2010
Thinking…thinking…
Of what to ask you to send me in the name of art and creativity..
Foggy Dew
Jul 26, 2010
That guy’s flickr stream looks like the cast of Starship Troopers. Great talent, though.
I too try to redirect useful/benign (to me) insects out the door. Generally speaking spiders and ladybugs get a free pass, anything that can bite, though, better be ready for a battle.
sebastian
Jul 26, 2010
Fortunately, England has very few non-human animals that bite! We have a few adders I think, but I’ve never seen one. In fact, hornets are probably the most dangerous/painful things in England! (And I’ve been bitten by one in my armpit… fun times…)