Drought and a Bug

Not that anyone is going to be interested in a bug so I'll start with the drought. We are in one. In our weather vortex of the world it usually rains all the time and is usually coupled with humidity. Not only has it not rained in over two weeks but we are also experiencing sweltering heat, in the high 90's. And just so you know the humidity has not gone away. I don't understand how, with no rain, that the air can feel this thick and mucky. The grass looks like someone took a blowtorch to it. Brown as brown can be. However, our grass is still mostly green because it had not been mowed and we live on the shady side of the hill. Several weeks ago at my bible study we had been praying for sunshine, we got it, so we took it off the list. The next day it rained. And it continued to rain for days so we put sunshine back on the list. We defiantly got our sunshine this time! Not only did we take sunshine off the list again but we added rain. We cant really complain, God answers prayer and this is what we were praying for.

...

So now on to the bug. I found a bug under the waterier in my duck pen. I have never seen anything like this before. It is brown, has six legs, and has a yellow tail that curves up like a scorpion. The thing freaked me out as it ran at me when I moved the waterier. To all you bug loving people I would at this time like to apologize sincerely because I killed it. I smashed this freaky little body with the same waterier that he had made his home. I'd like to apologize further because I am not sorry I did it. And I feel less sorry because there was another one there again this morning and I did not kill it. It ran away really fast, good choice bug, good choice. I was intrigued and needed to know what it was. So I looked it up. And this is what I learned:It is a Brown and Yellow Rove Beetle (family staphylinidae). And it is freakin ugly. It took me awhile to find it but I finally did in the National Audubon Society's 'Field Guide To Insects & Spiders' and this is what they say about it.

Rove beetles comprise a large family, having almost 2'900 species in North America. They are easily identified by the very short elytra, which covers only the first few abdominal segments. Most are black or brown, the yellow and brown rove beetle is brown with dense hair, glittering golden hair covers abdominal tips and forms a belt under thorax. These active beetles fly swiftly and run rapidly over the ground with the tip of the abdomen raised like a scorpion's stinger. Their sharp mandibles are usually crossed over the head but can inflict a painful stab if handled careless;y. Most rove beetles and their larvae prey upon mites, other insects, and small worms.

Habitat: Woods, and wherever carrion is found

Range: Throughout North America

Food: Adult eats small maggots, mites, and beetle larvae. Larva feeds on carrion and fungi.

...

Do you blame me for killing it? The only thing I like about this beetle is that it eats mites. I hate mites with the very depths of my soul. Fear not, I know how much you all like hearing way to much information about creepy bugs so I have a good one planed for tomorrows post.