There is a silent, malignant scourge that preys upon not just this campus, but most of the world. An epidemic fueled by ignorance and propelled by blind indifference- are you okay with continuing to be complicit? Well we at the Gadfly are finally shedding light on this conspiracy. It’s time we stopped covering up bugs that look like other bugs.
Ever noticed a ladybug that looked like it was stricken with a severe case of leprosy? The same familiar shape and lucky spots, but a dull yellow hue? The first of our nefarious copycats (or should we say copybugs) is the Mexican Bean Beetle, which makes its living pretending to be an off-brand ladybug with zero luck to give. What does it have to gain from this? The investigation is ongoing.
Next: the pill bug. The roly-poly. The doodlebug. The wood shrimp. Known by many names, this honorary bug (owing to its unassuming insect-like nature), may have one buggish name you might have never considered: The villainous Sow Bug. While visually similar, an easy tell is that this bad boy doesn’t roly its poly.
The iconic Monarch Butterfly… so majestic and so beautiful, the quintessential butterfly. But this royalty has a secret usurper or two vying for its kingdom. The Queen and the Viceroy Butterflies flutter on thrones of lies, working in league to overthrow the beloved ruler. The next time you see a Monarch butterfly and cry out “it’s a Monarch butterfly!”, you will probably be right. But now you know that you might not be.
So next time you identify that classic well-known insect creeping up your bedroom wall or sitting innocently on a blade of grass, consider that there could be more than meets the eye. We urge you to explore the dangers of assumptions. You could be right… or you could be very, very wrong. And the consequences of that mistake? The investigation is ongoing.