Seasonal Creature Parade

The scouts arrive first thing after winter begins to fade. Travel in troops, a straight line, seeking sugar, tiny ones in the kitchen. Larger ones in the garage, finding my husband’s lunch bucket. It’s almost spring! I announce. The ants are here! Crickets and grasshoppers assault the grass as soon as it is green. There are lady bugs too, which puts me in mind of butterflies. These beauties come in a few weeks later, bringing their pretty wings. Spring is starting to become colorful. Honey bees and Bumble bees are the next to zoom in. They fly in zigzag patterns and scare the little ones. I reassure them they will not be stung, but some are. Mosquitos, Luna moths and lightning bugs arrive in July evenings. Where are the spiders? My grandchildren query. I usually see them in the fall, I reply. Don’t worry. They will be here soon. And of course, they are. As predictable as the seasons!