Sunday, January 19, 2014

What's the Fascination? Critter update

Now I haven't really watched much TV for years, but I admit watching television can be quite educational.  Especially the programs about nature.  
I remember watching one program about Dung Beetles that was mesmerizing.  I am not sure what the fascination was, but the program filmed those beetles industriously rolling dung balls much larger and heavier than they were to their homes.

Well today walking on the road I met them.  And almost stepped on them.  Several of them were working together.


Somehow I got the idea from the program that they were large beetles- I mean cow patties can be bigger than my hand!

But the largest one was no bigger than a dime.  Stithe balls they were rolling were at least their size or even twice their size.

They "escaped" the picture I tried to take with my tennis shoe in it so you could get an idea of the scale.  Still I found their hard working industriousness in the hot Namibian sun fascinating.  And the road was so large they were working on compared to them, I cannot imagine how much time and energy it took to take their prize home or even where it was!

And I couldn't help thinking about those nature educators/film makers- How many HOURS did you spend in the hot sun filming these tiny little creatures just to get one program?!

A vote of appreciation for those who work so hard to educate us about all the amazing things in our world, many we would step on without seeing or knowing anything about- Dung Beetles and so much more.

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