Otus the Head Cat
Don’t feed the bugs in the giant exhibit.
Dear Otus,
I know these traveling animatronic shows are supposed to give kids thrills and chills, but it seems to me better care should be taken to protect a gullible public from danger. What was it, exactly, that happened at the Clinton Library big bug exhibit last Sunday? — Bartlet Hoynes,
Cabot Dear Bartlet,
It was wholly a pleasure to hear from you and a further pleasure to have the opportunity to admonish parents to set better examples for their malleable children with skulls full of mush.
Kids will be kids, they say, but to quote that great American philosopher Dave Barry, “You can only be young once, but you can always be immature.”
Or, we can subscribe to the sociological observations of the noted modern humanist John William Ferrell: “Immature is a word boring people use to describe fun people.”
The curators of the traveling “Xtreme BUGS” exhibit currently at the Clinton Presidential Center are neither boring nor immature. Not only are the giant bugs whimsical, they are also educational and inspiring.
There is, however, a reason the signs say, “Do not touch, climb on or tease the giant bugs.” This is not only to preserve what are obviously very expensive animatronics, but also for the protection of the public.
It’s up to the parents not only to keep their little hellions on a leash, but to be good role models.
Yes, it’s only natural to have a photo taken alongside the giant bugs. And the critters on display outside the library are purposely posed there for just such a purpose.
But there are clearly marked spaces within which to stand. Nowhere is there a sign that says, “Attention! Do not put your arm in the spikes of the giant praying mantis.”
But that’s exactly what James Parmiter of Paron did trying to impress his 7-yearold son, Jimbo.
Parmiter approached the 11-foot-tall mantis on the lawn of the Clinton Library and stuck his left arm in the angle of the creature’s raptorial foreleg and promptly ensnared his T-shirt in the barbs. No amount of wriggling or squirming would free him, primarily because he refused to put down the Diet Coke he held in his right hand (see photo).
Parmiter was trapped for a full three minutes while his son was reduced to a panicked mess. It was not until concerned onlookers arrived to free Parmiter that little Jimbo was consoled.
The exhibit is intended to be educational as well as entertaining. So, what did we learn here?
We learned that the praying mantis, one of 20 giant animatronic insects on display, is one of nature’s most vicious ambush predators and it only feeds on live prey.
The larger species will eat small vertebrates such as lizards and frogs. If a mantis happens to be 11 feet tall, it could polish off something the size of Parmiter in a matter of minutes.
Its forelegs usually have four discoidal spines preceded by a number of tooth-like tubercles which, along with a similar series of tubercles along the tibia and the apical claw near its tip, give the mantis’ foreleg its deadly grasp on its prey.
“Xtreme BUGS” will be on hand until July 23.
After speaking at the opening of the exhibit Sunday, former President Bill Clinton tweeted a photo of himself in front of a giant grasshopper with the caption, “BREAKING: We just learned that the @ClintonCenter has been bugged.”
Until next time, Kalaka suggests we all go online and watch the classic 1957 thriller The Deadly Mantis starring Craig Stevens (TV’s Peter Gunn) and William Hopper (of Perry Mason fame). That’s the one with the tagline: “This was the day that engulfed the world in terror!” That should warn us about what happens when the North Pole melts.