Stick Bug #3 died on Monday.
We started out with 4 last August.
Then during a "free-range" session of exploring in the garage, one Chuppie, while "chair racing" a different bug, accidentally ran over his pet.
Bug #1 didn't make it.
3 left.
A lesson in forgiveness and accidents and being more careful was given.
Then about a month ago, Bug #2 died.
We watched him twitching on the bottom of the cage and when I couldn't take it any longer, I put him out of his misery.
I think I'd rather not share the details.
But I read that the lifespan of a stick bug is only about 2 years and tried to convince all of us
...that it was just his time.
2 left.
And honestly they looked pretty happy together.
I'd always thought they were a little too exclusive.
Left the other guy out much of the time.
Stuck up "in crowd".
But then on Monday, our biggest bug, crumpled to the ground like a heap of jumbled kindling.
And that was the end of Bug #3.
Since Monday...Bug #4 has just made me sad.
I almost couldn't stand to look at him.
If I'm honest, I even contemplated ways to speed up his "lifecycle".
Just lonely Bug #4.
No hope of babies without any romantic options.
Today, I finally decided it was pure cruelty not to clean his cage.
My plan was to just grab all of the old berry vines out and quickly cram some new ones in.
BUT THEN !!!
BUT THEN !!!
I honestly yelled....and the kids all came running...because...
One the back side of one blackberry leaf was a tiny tiny stickbug!
About 1/2 an inch long.
I carefully pulled back each leaf and before the end of the hunt we'd found 3 tiny baby stickbugs!
So with much JOY...and a loud drum roll...we'd like to introduce our newest additions:
Catie, Coco-love, and Coolson. Note...that was Coolson.
And we still have good old Bug #4.
If we're blessed with another batch...we'd be happy to share :)
