Little Vampires
Mosquitoes are out in force this time of year, and they are indeed a formidable force to be reckoned with. It’s as though they are gathering strength to make their final assault while there’s still time before they are driven underground by the winter cold. You can’t take two steps out of your back door without those intolerable, nearly invisible, sneaky insects latching on, biting your flesh, and greedily sucking your blood. They then go on their merry way leaving their signature red, itchy welts all over your arms, legs, and any other exposed skin you’ve unwittingly made available to them. They’ll snack on you to their heart’s content.
The mosquito is unquestionably a good-for-nothing pest if I’ve ever seen one, which brings me to my next point. Has anyone ever figured out the purpose of mosquitoes in our very complex and interconnected ecosystem? If that’s happened I haven’t heard about it. I certainly can’t see it. From where I’m sitting, it appears that the only reason for their existence is to make us miserable. At best, their handiwork has us waking up in the middle of the night clawing at our bodies. At worst, they spread disease. Where’s the justification for their continued existence in that? Again, I don’t see it, and yet there they are, emerging every spring, year after year, ready and waiting to torment us.
There are many, many creepy, crawly insects in this world, but the worst among them, as far as I’m concerned, is the mosquito. They make it their business to throw a wet blanket over those wonderful warm spring, summer, and fall months, not to mention our outdoor barbecues. They really only leave you with two choices. Either stay inside or coat yourself head to toe with one of those noxious, ghastly smelling, toxic bug repellents before you venture out to brave the oncoming attack. You can’t forget that because they are out there, lying in wait, thirsting for us. And when those little, tiny, mini vampires have done their worst, they just fly off laughing all the way back to their little, tiny, mini vampire coffins. If only they would stay there.
By now it probably wouldn’t surprise you to know that although I have it on good authority that mosquitoes are drawn to children far more than adults, I’m never spared. I must be suffering from some kind of arrested development because they are quite fond of me. There doesn’t seem to be much I can do about it except to grab that bug repellent and start spraying. There’s no avoiding it. They’re coming for me.