The first Colorado State University club was started by this guy:
Clarence P. Gillette
100 years ago it was called simply “The Entomology Club” then it was changed to the “Gillette Club” in 1925. Somehow the students named it “The Gillette Infestation” for a time and then back to the Gillette Club by 1945. Now it’s called the “Gillette Entomology Club” which seems like a good compromise. We like to call it the G.E.C.
Fun things to do at the Bug Bash
With the Bug Petting Zoo, Bee Hive exhibition, Ask an Entomologist, Bee Pong, Bed Bug Bean Bag toss, and a bunch more!
Ghost Mantis on my arm
My task at the CSU Bug Bash was to show off some of the insects at the bug zoo. In the above photo the ghost mantis is walking toward my faded Black Sheep tattoo that was created by bed bug bites last month.
At last count there were at least 22 parlors in town where one or more tattoo artists apply their trade. I plan to visit them all some day just to add what I find on Roadside Mysteries because it is a mystery why there are really 22 tattoo parlors in a town with a population of a little over 140,000. While I have yet to visit any tattoo parlor I am fairly certain that if and when it happens I will not subject myself to indelible markings. Think Department of Corrections Category: Cross/Trible Tattoo on Right Forearm, Dragon Tattoo on Right Arm, D.C. Tattoo on Back. Identifying marks on the body. No! I won’t do it! However:
In the interest of science, I recently submitted to a rather unusual marking of my skin.
It’s a Bed Bug Tattoo!
I decided to get a tattoo of my favorite local bike shop brand : Black Sheep Bikes. Their logo is a sheep. Yes, I know it’s supposed to be a BLACK sheep, but red is the only color a bed bug knows. So, what are Bed Bugs?
Bed Bug Tattoo artist of the genus Cimex
A bite from a bed bug can cause skin rashes (the redness in color important for tattoos), various allergic symptoms (it’s a chance you have to take) and possible psychological effects (who could tell?) . The little buggers need human blood to survive and after their bite and the resulting color change due to irritation on the skin the markings could be used as body art to some extent: It’s a Win – Win situation. Bugs get fed, You get art!
If you would like to have a bed bug tattoo I have illustrated some steps you will have to follow in order to do this right.
1) Select the artwork
I have chosen to get a tattoo of the company logo for the Black Sheep Bike Company located right here in Fort Collins, Colorado. If you go to the website of the Black Sheep company, at the top of the site are the words “Black Sheep” and there’s a little graphic of a sheep. It’s kind of cool, and only those that are “in” to custom bikes will recognize it for what it is. There are other logos out there, but some are easier to work with than others, so read further before you choose the artwork for your tattoo.
2) Choose a suitable mask material
Here’s the thing: The bed bugs are going to have to bite in specific areas of your skin in order to create an image that is recognizable. The mask allows the bugs to do their work in the interest of art and science. In this case I am using an Avery Badge Label #5895 for the mask material. The adhesive backing on the Avery label will help keep the mask in place during feeding and it will also help keep the label on the computer screen if you carefully remove the backing on each corner of the label before attaching it to the screen.
3) Trace the artwork onto the label
This is fairly easy. The label paper is thin enough that you can see the screen image through the paper. A pencil works well for this purpose.
4) Cut the mask
This is the hard part. You have to cut away the part of the image that you want to transfer to your skin. It’s best not to choose a logo that is too complicated. Also, if your image includes any kind of lettering (text), the cutout on the non-adhesive side should be a mirror image of the text.
In the above example, I used a single edge razor blade. You may find it easier to use one of those X-Acto type cutting knifes; I couldn’t find mine, so I used a razor blade.
5) Find the place where bed bugs live
In most developed countries in the 1950’s, bed bugs were almost unknown as human pests due to the use of strong insecticides such as DDT. Now you can find them lots of places in the U.S. but since some say that bed bugs could be infected by as many as 28 human pathogens, you may want to check out a few “clean” bugs from your local entomologist. Hey, I know where there are clean bugs! They live at the Insectary of course. We visited there in 2011. Time to go back and check out some bugs.
6) Prepare yourself for the bite of your life!
Here I am in the entomology lab with my right arm exposed. In my left hand is a Mason Jar full of little starving bed bugs who haven’t had a good blood meal in months! The top of the jar is covered with a light mesh material and on top of the mesh is the finished Avery label with the black Sheep logo cut out. Check the clock! You need to hold the inverted jar on your arm for at least 25 minutes to ensure that all the bed bugs get at least one bite!
7) Pain in the Name of Science
No, not too bad actually. You can feel the little buggers bite into your skin, but it’s not anything that I would consider painful. Bed bugs are typically night feeders, so their bites usually will not wake you while you are asleep. These guys were very hungry and they got down to business right away. In 25 minutes it was over!
‘8) OK, so where’s the tattoo?
After the required 25 minute ordeal, you must slowly and carefully lift the jar off your skin to make sure that the bed bugs have time to remove their blood sucking sippy straws. This is a critical step as you don’t want to harm the bugs and you don’t want used insect mouth parts left in your skin.
So, where is the tattoo? As far as the bug art is concerned, it is up to YOU to get your skin rash on. Any number of things could happen. It might take a few days for the full color to develop. It might itch like crazy. Don’t scratch the tattoo as it might become infected!! Wash your arm thoroughly in the area of the bites just to stave off infection.
If I get any weird skin reactions, I shall report them, otherwise, I’m out of here for now. Damn, the Tour de Fat was last week and I haven’t bloggered it yet!
As part of the Art in Public Places Program (APP):
Designs for storm drain markers
I somehow missed this one. The APP requested drawings from local residents for new designs of the city’s storm drain markers.
Featuring aquatic insects
to help educate the public regarding the maintenance of water quality in local streams.
The Order Plecoptera
While other orders like Odonata and Ephemeroptera were represented above, its the Plecopterons or stoneflies that have the most to tell about the quality of our water.
Finally, the Order Coleoptera
These winning entries were shown at the latest “2012 Residential Environmental Program Series” sponsored by the Fort Collins Utilities and Natural Resources Department.
Remember back in 2008 when WE SAW DEAD PEOPLE ? We were at the local cemetery and we talked to a man standing in front of the grave of Clarence Preston Gillette, the first entomologist in Fort Collins. CSU has a club named after professor Gillette called simply the Gillette Entomology Club, or G.E.C.
G.E.C. Homecoming Float
It’s basically Dr. Cranshaw’s old pickup truck with a giant caterpillar on top but it was given the first place prize in the CSU novelty division at this year’s homecoming parade. In the 100 year history of the G.E.C., the club float has always won first place in the parade, and this weekend was no different.
And Duncan Madog was there!
Much to the delight of the bug fans who came out to see the entomology club’s float, it was especially pleasing to see a Pembrokeshire Welsh Corgi run around dressed as a bee. I’m the guy in the white beekeeper’s suit and ram’s head hat who is keeping the dog-bee in line.
Duncan in Bee Costume
Yes, Duncan was a big hit with the children but he was more interested in what kind of food the parade watchers were eating. That’s fairly typical of a corgi but it didn’t matter. It was the cuteness factor that made it! Yes, that’s it!
Oh, and a video has been released on the YouTube of the G.E.C. Float:
Along with the giant caterpillar and dog-bee, there was a butterfly net drill team and a guy dressed in safari garb with a giant fly-swatter chasing someone else dressed as a cockroach. You just had to be there.
Posted in Bugs | Comments Off on The G.E.C. does it Again!
There are other insectaries near the campus, most located at the Center for Disease Control – Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Desease (CDC-DVBID) out near the B.W. Pickett Equine Center. There is also the Arthropod-borne and Infectious Diseases Laboratory (AIDL) nearby but I don’t plan on visiting these places anytime soon.
Diuraphis noxia
or the Russian Wheat Aphid is living at 250 West Pitkin street. I was a bit disappointed to hear that these aphids are the main occupants at this location. I was expecting a nice collection of walking stick insects or something of that nature.
“No wait! We have a Walking Stick!”
and a few mantids and a taranchula or two. The lab is a controlled environment for insect research so most of the exotic bugs might be found at the Gillette museum.
Emergence tubes
Apparently collecting “Bugs that go Up” into the little vials located on the top of these cardboard tubes.
“Bugs that go Down”
at the bottom of these cardboard boxes. Note the heavy use of Duct tape.
With Rebecca Spafford as Agnes and Brian Landis Folkins as Peter; this is a play about paranoia and bugs! And it came with the label: “Bug contains nudity and strong adult themes and language; those ages 16 and younger will not be admitted”
“There’s an insect egg sac implanted under my tooth!”
Besides nudity, drugs and violence there was a self-extracting tooth scene and lots of fake blood all over the place.
Agnes and her lesbian biker friend
This was another of our theater picks for the FoCo Newcomer’s club; I just had to see something called Bug and I got a group of twelve to experience it with me!
First there was a little bit of itching
…Then a bit more. Some self-inflicted wounds appear by the end of the first act. The bugs are everywhere on the stage by the beginning of the second act!
This play really worked. I believe I saw a few of the audience members begin to scratch and swat imaginary flies as we left the theater. Also, just having the government implanted notions of bugs under you skin was not enough! Peter began raving like this Fort Collins citizen about stuff like The Bilderberg Group and the real reason there is radioactive Americium in your home smoke detector.
Next month we’re going to see the musical comedy Native at the Nonesuch; it better be funny!
