50 Beetles
I have fifty pet beetles. It’s true, I swear. I recognize that beetles aren’t exactly a traditional pet, but there’s something about them I simply love. They’re about a half inch in length, a quarter inch wide, and range from a reddish brown to black. While I’m sitting at my computer, I can see them only a few feet away. They scurry about in a large glass tank full of plants, dirt, rocks, and various species of tiny bugs.
The tank is self regulated, meaning it has a thermometer, hydrometer, and a fancy controller. When the tank gets too cold, a heat lamp turns on. When it gets too dry, a water fogger machine kicks on and floods the tank with a cool mist. The mist is my favorite. I have no way of knowing when it will turn on, but when it does, it’s almost magical. Swirling currents dance around each other as they cover everything in the tank.
A funny thing about my beetles is that they don’t seem to like the fog too much. When it comes, they find a tall branch and climb to a high point. The fog is dense enough that it never quite reaches the top of the tank. It’s interesting to watch. The beetles seem to have learned where the high dry spot is. Without fail, I’ll spot a large mass of them huddled together whenever the mist turns on. It must be an instinctual kind of thing.
