By Marsha Mason
When I took my first breath outside of the hive I was mesmerized. With its vast number of hills and valleys the flowering scrubs (plant) along the way unfold a beauty that cannot be compared or captured by paint or photograph. The flowing plants can give its praise to its hidden workers. As Paul the Apostle wrote in I Corinthians 3 versus 6 (KJV) I planted Apollos watered but God gave the increase; this is also applicable to the flowing beauty of Sigri. The insects pollinate the plants and churn the soil, the wind scatter the seeds and the increase and beauty comes from God. Not many know about the intricate work performed by us the insect population. However, it is the citizens of Sigri who for years have been accustomed to seeing the insects, even being bitten or enduring other experiences of having the number of insects that are drawn to the mere beauty of the plants and have been drafted to work in the fields. The citizens of Sigri are the ones who best enjoy the beauty of the plants every year as the sparse Mediterranean hills and valleys of the Petrified Forest come alive. It is the citizens who also have the power to ensure that this all but important community/populace is protected to bring the beauty and joy to the hills and valleys of Sigri and themselves.
The day I took my first flight I saw fellow insects hard at work. Some busy pruning plants (like caterpillars, ants and grasshoppers); some helping in the reproduction by taking nectar and pollen from one plant to the other (like bees and butterflies); some feeding on remain of animals and plants (cricket and worms) and some controlling the population of other insects (like dragonflies wasps and spiders). I was excited to know that I am a part of a team that will ensure that the balance remains in nature and the beauty that make human happy will continue. I say some insects frolicking, singing love songs to mates to ensure that we have a population who will continue the work. I must say citizens of Sigri do things of benefit to nature and us like the solar power on every house and the houses built to utilise sun and wind. Then I saw something that made me afraid terrified and sad. The field were littered with garbage, the waterway black from sewerage and other pollution some homes had poised set for unsuspecting fellow insects and some swat at us. I thought, don’t they know these will harm us and they will not have the lovely plants they have grown accustom to if we are no longer around.
My older brother flew up to me and said don’t be sad. Humans don’t really know much about the insects of Sigri. Some don’t know that we play an important role as pollinators of the many wild flowers of the area. We also borrow the soil allowing vital air and moisture to seep to nourish the plants and also act in the breaking down of the dead leaves and plants. Then he said we need to let the citizens know that they can do much to make our land safe. They can dispose of their garbage in proper bins for the landfill, don’t use poison to kill us but work with us in a friendly way not doing things that cause one insect population to out grow those that control them and ensure that sewage and other waste are treated properly before going into the waterways.
