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Fuzzy_bottoms

Feature Article April 29

Feature article November 25, 2004

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Fuzzy bottoms

Grampa, Grampa, look, Ive got a fuzzy bottom! Maggie, my enthusiastic little granddaughter, carefully and slowly moved her finger to my eyes to show me one she had captured. There it sat gathering warmth from her finger, slowly exercising its wings and wiggling its bluish hairy little bottom provocatively before flying away.

What is it really called Grampa? Mommy doesnt like me calling them that.

She was proud as punch having been able to entice one of the several that flew about us. I told her I didnt know but they came each fall, flew about for several weeks in the sunshine and then disappeared for another year. Happily she and her brother Willie continued to chase, catch, look and release and I was left alone to muse about another of Mother Natures many mysteries.

I suppose that the little fly has a name that is a thousand times longer than its carrot seed sized body and in the great scheme of things on earth has purpose beyond amusing a couple of inquisitive kids. I expect its fuzzy little bottom is also attractive to some plainer mate flitting about unnoticed, is a dinner for something bigger and has consumed something smaller for its continued existence. Mother Nature carries on keeping our earths population balanced with a multitude of creatures all dependent one upon another.

Sometimes she becomes distracted and things get out of whack allowing some species to overpopulate their environment. However another soon seizes its opportunity to take advantage of the situation and eats up the excess, eventually restoring balance. That seemed to work reasonably well before man became so dominant a species.

I muse about mankinds perversion of sexual attraction and resulting over population. Most animal, bird and fish species have the males flaunting the sexual signals. The tail display of the male peacock and grouse, the colours of male fish, the antlers and size of male deer and moose all signal to the female that there is a readiness for reproduction and the female picks the biggest, gaudiest and strongest to mate; thus the species is assured of strong progeny to carry on. Not so interloping man, most of our females artificially emphasize their sexuality and men remain unadorned. Why?

Many believe Mother Nature has a higher purpose for us and perhaps this is a more efficient approach for reproduction. Is our expansion at a much greater rate than most other species proof of this thesis? Or are the female of our species more susceptible than males to the wiles of businesses advertising wares to buy, particularly beauty enhancements? (From my shopping experiences with my Significant Helpmate this could be a big factor). Or are we just careening about the surface of the earth using our abilities thoughtlessly, overpopulating and destined to meet our fate when Mother Nature realizes what is going on?

Why are we different than all the other species? We do have some characteristics far superior to those of some other species but then they have characteristics we completely lack. Viruses, bacteria and other simple life forms reproduce asexually thus being assured of eternal existence without having to depend upon a mate. They live as long as they can consume someone or are consumed.

Grampa, why do they have a fuzzy bottom? interrupted my musing and without too much hesitation I distracted her by suggesting she try to get two to land on her hand. Explanations of Mother Natures mysterious sexual practices are best left to a mother.

With the participation of the Government of Canada