Maurtianian Entertainment

I’m posting this entry because of a comment I recently received on my last post. As I have said, the bugs are quite interesting in Mauritania. I’m not sure if they’re really that interesting, but when you have a lot of free time, they’re fun to watch. So here is a list and description of the bugs at my house in Magta Lahjar. (My site-mate, Chelsey, has recently come to the conclusion that we will all be expert entomologists by the end of our service).

Dung Beetles
These little guys are perhaps the most entertaining of the bunch. Their extreme stupidity astounds me. They constantly fly into walls, fall on their backs, then struggle to get up. There are actually many varieties of beetles around. I’m guessing the dung beetles are the black ones, about the size of a quarter, or a 20 ouguiya piece for my fellow Mauritanian volunteers. It’s fun to pick them up and have them crawl around on your hands. But then they fall off your finger because they’re not very smart.

Transformer Beetles
There’s also another variation of the dung beetle. It looks very similar to the regular dung beetle, but tends to have a smidge of intelligence. We call them the transformer beetles. Their head looks like a shield and their bodies little tanks. When you pick them up, they pull their legs into their body and put their head down, so they just look like a black shiny ball. This defense mechanism is something the dung beetle has a problem with. Not that I’ve noticed any predators except us inquisitive humans.

Maroon 5 Beetles
These are similar to the dung beetle in stupidity. They are tinier and maroon colored. They’re also fun to have walk around on your hand. All of the beetles move slowly, which is why they are the bugs I prefer. Now that the rainy season is coming to an end, they are much more enjoyable to have around. During they rainy season, these little maroon guys are everywhere as soon as the sun goes down. Hundreds of them in the house. Just crawling around. Then they die and so there are carcasses everywhere. Which brings me to my next bug….

Big Butt Alien Ants
These guys are awesome!! They’re really big, black ants and their butt segment points to the sky. They have legs that are longer than regular ants, but are not to be confused with, say, a spider. It’s really cute when they clean their antennas. These guys are great because they like to clean the yard. Any dead beetle carcasses in the yard are swiftly picked up buy the BBAA’s (they’re strong little suckers) and carried away. I assume for food. Also, if these guys land on us from the tree we sit under, they freak out that they’re on a living being. They’re scared of everything, even the little regular ants. This is good for people because they’re not bothersome. Just fun to watch!

Silver Ants
That’s all. They’re the size of regular ants. But they’re silver. Not gray, silver.

Camel Spiders (I’m aware this is an arachnid, not a insect)
Ick. Camel Spiders (which is what they’re really called, I didn’t make this up) are the creepiest spiders ever. They’re huge and ugly. Luckily, they are not poisonous. I hear they bite, but it’s not painful. These spiders move incredibly fast and with they’re not-so-handsome looks, it’s quite the creepfest when they’re around. I know they’re good for keeping bugs away, but I could do without them.
I hope you have enjoyed a glimpse into my oh-so-interesting life in Magta Lahjar. (I’m integrating! I swear!) Next time you get creeped out by one bug, just thank Allah that you’re not in Mauritania.