Feeling Bugged

Since arriving in Morogoro, I have been fascinated by the overwhelming varieties of bugs! Dudu is the Swahili name for bug. I think since the rainy season started they have become even more prevalent. We have all manner of creepy crawly things; not just bugs but other little creatures. This place would be an entomologist’s dream come true.

We have caterpillars, mosquitoes, roaches, snails, ants, flies, termites, lizards, beetles, crickets, spiders, bees, wasps, geckos and oh so much more – crawling things that are tiny and huge, flying things that are so big they are almost the size of a bird, things that buzz loudly...

I think my favorite so far is a metallic purple and green bug about an inch in length. I noticed it one day while having Swahili lessons. Moreto and I were admiring it for a few moments, then went back to the lesson. A minute later one dropped from the rafters of the banda onto my lesson book. I shrieked and jumped and made such a fuss that other groups looked my way from across the yard. I think it’s harmless.

You will find photos of this one and some others I’ve seen posted on my photo site. My sight groups them by day so they are a little spread out, but some of my favorites are there over the weeks especially the past week or so, but some from earlier days too. Look at March 13th I think, plus this past week.