The New Family Members

We have some new members of Kael's menagerie to introduce. They came today in the mail from Uncle Thien (Kael's source for all things creepy crawly). While I knew what was in the box, I did not know how they were in the box so I left it sitting on the table for someone else to open. I learned my lesson the last time I opened a box sent from Thien. I know nothing of these guys except that they are fast and lay lots of eggs.

Great. The two things I look for in a bug.

For Kael's birthday, Thien sent him 50 Australian Leaf Insect eggs. I know what you're thinking: "FIFTY EGGS?? Did you kill him, Sonya?!" No, I did not. Unfortunately, the eggs did not hatch because I didn't have the correct environment for them. (And no, I did not do that on purpose!)

So, as a consolation prize, Thien sent Kael some Borneo Thorny Stick Insects. All I know about them is that (1) they are ugly; (2) they are fast (for a stick insect); and (3) they are the never-ending bug because they lay a lot of eggs.


Look at Kael's face. He's beyond thrilled.


Uncle Thien and Kael. The buggars are pretty fast for a stick bug.


Close-up. This is the smaller one. (!!!)

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The following pictures are actual REAL pictures! I did not Photoshop anything in.


Malia allowing a bug to crawl on her. She at first didn't want to do it, but after seeing how thrilled Kael was, she of course had to get in on that too.


This is the bigger one of the four bugs.


Thien was trying to get me to hold one for Malia's sake but I just couldn't. Despite my squeamishness, Malia seemed perfectly fine.

I was shocked. We all were. After mulling it over, I think she's OK with these bugs because they are like zoo animals. She sees them as tame. As opposed to the "free and wild" bugs buzzing around, waiting to eat her.

That's the best answer I can think of to explain why she would fall into hysterics over a tiny gnat and yet calmly allow this huge ugly bug to walk up her arm almost to her face.