Roasted Gnats

At night, when the bluff is lighted by those waist-high black metal posts, I saw only the fairyland the light creates. I did not see those posts as deathtraps. But in fact, in the cold light of early morning, as I was taking my walk along the bluff (and trying to avoid the mosquito hoards of early evening - we are all bit to shreds, and one poor student had to go on antibiotics!), I saw another picture.

Every black post has a grillwork near the top that lets the light out. Woven and plastered all over the grillwork are massive spiderwebs, invisible in the darkness of night. To me. To unsuspecting insects, who, irresistibly attracted by the light, fly into the web and are stuck fast. Worse than that, the heat of the lights fries them to a crispy golden brown - the equivalent of spider fast-food, fries and all.

I was horrified to realize that every single light fixture was covered in the carnage. I still shudder thinking of it. And here I thought it was the plethora of birds swooping and darting overhead that were keeping the insect population under control! Too bad it doesn't work on mosquitoes.

Or maybe the traps are just too full. Yes, that must be it. Those clever spiders have caught so much they needn't set anything more aside for winter. What we need is a good housecleaning. Let them respin their webs for the bloodsucking mosquitoes (can you tell I have been here WAAAAY too long?) Maybe I just better get back to reading and finishing assignments.