A Word About Bugs: WMR Pt.9

Summer 2023

I don’t want to make our retreat in the White Mountains sound too idyllic.  The reality is, that we all, at some time, have to accept fate and succumb to the reality of bugs. Midges, mosquitoes, gnats, no-see-ums, creepy spiders, cobwebs, the dangerous millipedes and scorpions (actually not a bug).

How many countless times, that I’d rather forget, were stricken by a hoard of bugs? Picnics having biting ants invite themselves, or visiting mosquitoes inviting themselves and not realizing that I’m not on the menu.  That one pesky fly that continually pesters, thinking that it needn’t get its own plate; you know that guy.

How many times, when my lovely day nude in the sun got dashed by attacks? Me, having to take refuge under clothing on a sweltering day. Me, anxiously grabbing, and IN GRATITUDE, a bottle of poison to slather all over my defenseless body. Me, spending ridiculous prices for natural topical solutions, with their scented cakey result everywhere, and where there is no shower to wash before wrecking the sheets. Thank Heaven for Sssting-Stop!

This guy just crossed my foot looking like an early Disney movie, but one in the past gave my bare hand quite a smart.

I remember what could have been a lovely stay for my future wife in Jamaica, but for the 42 well scratched red gushers upon just one of the legs of her merely five foot stature. They loved her more than me; I was fine. They discriminate!?!

So, our retreat in the White Mountains wasn’t perfect. We had a few flies during the day, but we moved our lightweight folding chairs around from sun to shade as we felt. The sun chased us AND kept us away from flying pests.

After a few days we got better acquainted with local bug habits. We learned that they were picky about the speed of the wind, the time of day, humidity and rain. One thing was that the mosquitoes generally only came around during a window of about 4 or 5pm and stuck around until the cool, or cold, evening air arrived. Dinner hour was moved up to accommodate their arrival. This allowed us to take a convenient walk after our meal in the late afternoon and arrive back to watch the dramatic sunsets on that huge primal TV screen called the sky and then into the nightly star-scape.

The light changed at that time of day to illuminate and shadow like God’s own paintbrush. We slept better because we had a few hours fast before hitting the sack. It worked out.

I must say, the local critters up there are amazingly determined. Many are just ignorant of human behavior. Flies would just sit there and be swatted, without a clue, but the mosquitoes were bold and relentless opportunist. I would cover with long sleeve T-shirt, hoody, pants sealed into sock tops, gloves or hands in pockets, a hat to cover my forehead. I would wrap up in the hammock like a cocoon…and there, sitting looking me directly in the eye, standing on my only bare nose, would be a mosquito! The blatant little predators would look you in the eye, while they tried to eat you alive!

This period of the day was a time to move, or take shelter and miss the greater natural delights of the forest. We found that away from camp and moving across the countryside, we were bothered less. We more often walked nude, only the chill of approaching nightfall brought out a torso covering. Often, if we didn’t stop to check out the small wonders too much, our movement would generate enough body heat to stay freely nude.

A few lagers might greet us in the morning, but that would end as a rare encounter.

Troubling insects were not the only populace. There were butterflies that were downright friendly. We, especially DF, would be quietly sitting in a chair reading and one might just stop by and have seat on an appendage.

A couple just kept hanging around for days, like stopping by to say, “Hello neighbor.”

DF would always talk to our guests. One morning, my jaw dropped as I watched a discourse between her and a beautiful bug. It sat on a TV table in the kitchen.

DF was bent over talking with it, her nose no more than a foot away, as it raised its head in response. It was like one of those Disney Snow White movies. This Snow White was of course darker tanned and without the long petty coat’s gown.

Nature is lovely. There is a full spectrum of good and bad aspects making up an ecosystem. There is awe and there are those that look you right in the eye as they eat you, because that is what they do.

I hope this has been entertaining, or even useful.

I am on the forum of FreeRangeNaturism.com often, if you would like to converse.

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