Wanted: Dead or Alive

Six elementary students were sitting around the table doing worksheets when one of them spotted a spider on the floor. The girl ran off to fetch the classroom bug-catching device, while the five boys debated whether it was a spider or a fly, living or dead.

"It's moving!"
"It's alive!"
"It's getting away!"

The girl comes back with the bug-catcher and sets it over the big spider. She slides the trapdoor, to capture the creature, then lifts it up to look through the clear plastic. Oops! She bumps the trapdoor, and the creature escapes, causing much shrieking from the boys. She retraps The Giant Bug, and sets the bug-catcher on the table for a good look before they all take The Giant Bug outside to release it into the Wild.

"Wait a minute."
"That's not a spider."
"That's not a bug."
"That's a piece of tape with hair stuck to it!"

Everyone in the room including the brave bug trapper starts laughing so hard they can scarcely breathe. Another one of life's moments when you're glad you're not drinking root beer, as it would surely shoot out your nose.



The sliding trapdoor bug-catching device can be found in PETA's catalog. It really works, although I have bumped the trapdoor once allowing an actual big spider to escape. It's called the Katcha Bug™ Humane Bug Catcher.


© 2007 Nancy L. Ruder