To be delivered from this plague
Not every question has an answer. Today, I wanted to know about the sudden infestation of flies on my dining room window, so I turned to Google. And of course, the first clue that this was not a new problem for mankind came with the reference to the “Plagues of Egypt”. Flies were mentioned, along with the note that this could be an error in translation. It could also refer to wild beasts. I know a fly when I see one, and although these were wild, beasts didn’t fit the bill of sale.
I continued, and learned that there are similar plagues, in our modern times, that fall under the heading of “cluster flies” or “shingle flies”. Closer. Outside, on the shingles on the sunny side of the house, there were obvious collections of bugs with wings. Flies, I guess. All hunkered down enjoying the last rays of sunshine. I had a memory of life with my grandparents, and their shingles in the autumn. This might be the identification I wanted.
Until I learned that there wasn’t a solution. All I could do was await the arrival of winter, when any bug not already in shelter would have to die (so that future generations could live, etc). Something to do with the instinctive drive to lay eggs.
I then considered a technological solution. What if I took the shop vac out of storage, and simply hosed up all the visitors. And then waited for cold weather, to freeze them. You can see that I haven’t exactly thought this one through.
Or, I could do like everyone else, and accept that this is part of living in the great wilderness.
