#ANYWAY. I'm making a collection exception for magicicadas because 1) okay @me come on there's gonna be a zillion. it's literally fine | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

blujayonthewing · 1 month

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had the thought 'it might be interesting to also collect a cicada nymph before it can molt and keep it as a wet specimen' and then immediately the concept of a cicada quietly growing underground for thirteen years to finally, finally emerge into the world only to get killed and put in a jar before it ever has a chance to stretch its wings just because some idiot thought it'd be neat nearly made me cry

#'jay aren't you gonna eat them' yeah #it's different #the main reason I stopped collecting insects after DJ and I broke up is that I get Weird about it #it's a weird... like. so vulnerable species notwithstanding #one thing about bugs in an ecosystem is that they're highly abundant and-- on an individual basis-- disposable #they lay a zillion eggs because they're getting eaten (or just stepped on even) by every other goddamn thing alive #in general my sincere belief is that a hobbyist with an insect collection is literally fine #but on a PERSONAL level because I'm not A Scientist and I know my personal desire for an insect collection comes down to 'they're pretty'--#feels weird. feels bad! feels like a bad reason to kill something even if killing that specific thing isn't measurably harmful to do #same way I feel about people killing spiders when I JUST SAID I would take care of it #like... okay there are a zillion other grass spiders where that came from but YOU are still a dickhead for doing that for no reason #ANYWAY. I'm making a collection exception for magicicadas because 1) okay @me come on there's gonna be a zillion. it's literally fine #and 2) this double emergence feels like such a genuinely big deal to me! first one in ~200 years and there won't be another for ~200 more!!#if I can collect scientifically viable specemins it feels like... there's a point to that #beyond 'I saw a butterfly so pretty I just HAD to kill it 🥰' you know??#... this has all come a bit tangential to the post I guess lol but... just feels existentially cruel #lots of cicada nymphs are going to get stepped on or eaten before they can molt into adults and I know that but it still just.. makes me sa #they live SO LONG. they've waited SO LONG for this. aahhh...#about me #cicada quest

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