What Kids Don’t Love (P)Inchworms?

I’m not sure what you and your kids call them. Most probably refer to them as inchworms, some may call them ‘loopers’, but technically, they are ‘cankerworms‘, which probably explains why their name has been changed by so many to something more fun, and seemingly more fitting. In our family, they have come to be known as ‘pinchworms’. This term came from our youngest daughter {O}, when she was really little and mistaken about their name- and it stuck.

So I ask you, are there any kids out there who DO NOT love these inchworms? Because if statistics are any indication, on a very small scale, 4/4 love them at our house. Our kids just hold them and play with them for the longest time.

Recently, they gathered a whole bunch, and created this little ‘playground’ for them, in the base dish of a plant pot. Of course, they spent a of time keeping any of them from escaping. Those little buggers may be small, but they’re pretty quick!

My husband doesn’t mind them much, but I’m not all THAT fond of them. They are on the cute side, but I don’t appreciate their little games of dropping out of nowhere unexpectedly, on their little silk swings, right in front of my face, or worse, on me. Because what I don’t like most about them, is that they smoosh, accidentally. I don’t know about you, but when I feel something suddenly creeping on me, my initial reflex is to swat off the creepy-crawly area before I even look. That has gotten messy with surprise (p) inchworms who just drop by on me without calling first. What I really detest even more though, again because of their smoosh-factor on a grander scale, are gypsy moth caterpillars. Ugh. I hope we don’t get invaded with those things in large quantities as we have some years. The kids love to play with the species that have a turquoise back with chestnut brown spots. They avoid holding or playing with the ones with the red and blue bumps, because when they poop on you, you get a rash. (Sorry if that’s TMI. lol) Personally, I don’t care for any of them doing their business on me, rash-risky or not.

And then of course is the fact that (p)inchworms and caterpillars alike, eat the leaves on the trees everywhere! As I am sure so many of you have noticed, a large posse can really destroy a tree. It’s so sad to see otherwise healthy trees, loaded with leaves so tattered with holes. I suppose they need to eat something but….

I know God has purpose for every creature, big and small, (yes even those nasty Black Racer snakes, Kate). It really is amazing how in the big picture, everyone has a job that keeps nature and all of Creation, in balance. I don’t always really need to know all of the details of who eats who and what-not, but I can appreciate how it all works together for the good of Creation, in a more general way.

I suppose pinchworms are food for birds, and perhaps have some other impressive purpose. At the very least (and I can tell you it is the very least…lol), I can be grateful for the fact that their existence gives my children hours of enjoyment.