This month’s Missouri Conservationist magazine has a wonderful article on the caterpillar that turns into a swallowtail butterfly. Seeing the caterpillar got me to thinking.
At some point, most of the world may be destroyed by a nuclear war. It could be next week or years from now. Most humans will be killed either in the moments after the bombs drop or within the next few months. I read somewhere that after a nuclear holocaust that perhaps the only things that will survive long term are insects, cockroaches and likely other insects that go through hibernation processes..
This caterpillar is a voracious eater. One of them can devour an entire garden patch of parsley or fennel overnight. I remember a fifties movie titled “Them” where after a nuclear test detonation in the American southwest the ants there grew to giant size and were attacking people in the region. Now picture this, the nuclear war happens, and these caterpillars swell to the size of a compact car. Their huge appetite is insatiable, but there are no parsley or fennel plants to eat. The only thing left is human beings, so the caterpillars get real hungry and begin eating humans. You are there; you walk by the edge of a dilapidated high-rise building and there is a giant, hungry caterpillar. His claws reach out and snag you. You struggle to get away, but his claws dig into your flesh and grip you tight. You are lifted off the ground and are headed toward his giant sawteeth, knowing you are about to become just another snack for this humungus creature. What are you thinking about as you come ever closer to his slobbering jaws?
And then you awake from that horrible dream, only to look out your bedroom window and see this huge intercontinental missile heading right over your house. Now you know that your dream is actually coming true. The only question at that point is when will you meet the caterpillar. Ah don’t worry, it probably won’t happen this weekend. I think I’ll have a beer and ponder my fate after the bombs and missiles start hitting the ground. This could be a 2 beer lunch.
At some point, most of the world may be destroyed by a nuclear war. It could be next week or years from now. Most humans will be killed either in the moments after the bombs drop or within the next few months. I read somewhere that after a nuclear holocaust that perhaps the only things that will survive long term are insects, cockroaches and likely other insects that go through hibernation processes..
This caterpillar is a voracious eater. One of them can devour an entire garden patch of parsley or fennel overnight. I remember a fifties movie titled “Them” where after a nuclear test detonation in the American southwest the ants there grew to giant size and were attacking people in the region. Now picture this, the nuclear war happens, and these caterpillars swell to the size of a compact car. Their huge appetite is insatiable, but there are no parsley or fennel plants to eat. The only thing left is human beings, so the caterpillars get real hungry and begin eating humans. You are there; you walk by the edge of a dilapidated high-rise building and there is a giant, hungry caterpillar. His claws reach out and snag you. You struggle to get away, but his claws dig into your flesh and grip you tight. You are lifted off the ground and are headed toward his giant sawteeth, knowing you are about to become just another snack for this humungus creature. What are you thinking about as you come ever closer to his slobbering jaws?
And then you awake from that horrible dream, only to look out your bedroom window and see this huge intercontinental missile heading right over your house. Now you know that your dream is actually coming true. The only question at that point is when will you meet the caterpillar. Ah don’t worry, it probably won’t happen this weekend. I think I’ll have a beer and ponder my fate after the bombs and missiles start hitting the ground. This could be a 2 beer lunch.
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