fishing in the sky ocean, fast and fugitive

[asakiyume]

This is the season for tiny green inchworms to be suspended from nearly invisible strands, which they're climbing either up or down. Someone in the sky ocean is fishing.

fishing (photo by Chris Kendig)


I suppose the fisher might catch some worm-eating birds? Robins, maybe, or starlings. Or maybe a bluebird. They generally eat insects and berries, but they "have also been observed capturing and eating larger prey items such as shrews, salamanders, snakes, lizards and tree frogs," says the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. I'm sure a floating inchworm is not beyond the skills of such a potentially fearsome hunter. And yet if it takes this inchworm . . .

Then again, maybe sometimes you can catch people this way.

(photo from Lovebryan.com)


* * *

Isn't it funny that a fugitive dye--a dye that runs away--isn't fast, and in fact a dye that sticks around is what we call fast. You'd think a fugitive, fleeing, would like to be fast. Different senses of fast though: the permanent dye is steadfast.



fleeing, but not fast

Comments

[dark-phoenix54.livejournal.com]

The elementary school I went to had (I think) elm trees shading the lunch area. At one time of the year we'd be eating and these horrid little green worms would come reeling down into our faces, our food, or down our backs! I'd forgotten about them until seeing that picture. (hysterical repression?)

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

It's funny, there are lots of drawing things that I don't care for, but these guys I always liked! On the other hand, I never had to suffer an assault of lots of them at once. . . .