[Directed to Science Department, but Public]

[enter-aeneas.livejournal.com]

Hello. I have a project for anyone that is capable.

While searching through some of my possessions, I found a package of rain locust eggs. Rain locusts were a type of large insect native to Walrum. Their adult form is mostly fat and complex sugars stored in the abdomen; they have no digestive systems, so they die several hours after emerging. The adults can be harvested and used for many different foods, but their eggs only hatch during a certain lunar cycle in wet loam, and their larvae are notorious for eating plant roots, especially ones that grow in moist soil (or following a heavy rain). The eggs, however, can be stored almost indefinitely until conditions are right, and only a small starting colony is required to establish the species in an area.

I would like to put these eggs to good use. If someone could figure out how to simulate the conditions required for the rain locusts to continue their cycle in a controlled manner, I would be very grateful.

Many thanks,

Aeneas

Comments

[notlewis]

You don't say? I love insects.

I'm sure I can take a look, or get someone on it. [But probably him because he's a dork.]

[enter-aeneas.livejournal.com]

They are quite delicious, yes.

Thank you. I will drop off the eggs later today by the Contagion labs.

[notlewis]

Ah, well... I think I take a slightly different (non-edible) interest in them than you, actually.

But it still sounds fun.

[enter-aeneas.livejournal.com]

Oh, well, uhm, yes, they are fun to study as well. If we can establish a population of them in the City or Hydroponics, then there should be plenty for you and other interested parties to collect.

[in-venting.livejournal.com]

...People eat bugs?!

[enter-aeneas.livejournal.com]

The Awesonians quite enjoyed them.

Nightmares forever.

[in-venting.livejournal.com]

That's horrible...! They're... they're... BUGS!

Poor Aeneas isn't sure what the problem is.

[enter-aeneas.livejournal.com]

Er...yes, they are. Do you not like bugs?

Her face is like ;A;!! right now

[in-venting.livejournal.com]

No.

Someone must sneak one into her food after this. :D

[enter-aeneas.livejournal.com]

Oh. Have you ever tried one before?

Oh, god, she'd straight up kill them with a textbook or something.

[in-venting.livejournal.com]

NO. AND I DO NOT INTEND TO EVER.

Re: Nightmares forever.

[flunkingspanish.livejournal.com]

bugs are edible. when i was your age, we had a Bug Guy come into our class and he gave out suckers with bugs inside as a reward for getting questions right.

Re: Nightmares forever.

[in-venting.livejournal.com]

GROSS! I would never, ever, ever, ever, ever eat a bug. Ever.

Re: Nightmares forever.

[flunkingspanish.livejournal.com]

delicious sugar-coated bugs, nom nom.

Re: Nightmares forever.

[in-venting.livejournal.com]

Uuugh, why are you so gross?!

Re: Nightmares forever.

[flunkingspanish.livejournal.com]

'cause i'm a guy, duh.

Re: Nightmares forever.

[in-venting.livejournal.com]

Yuck! Keep your bugs to yourself!

Re: Nightmares forever.

[flunkingspanish.livejournal.com]

but they say that they want you to come play!

Re: Nightmares forever.

[in-venting.livejournal.com]

I do not have a vocabulary large and varied enough to tell you how grossed-out I am right now.

Re: Nightmares forever.

[flunkingspanish.livejournal.com]

all in a day's work, short stuff.

Re: Nightmares forever.

[in-venting.livejournal.com]

I hate you.

Re: Nightmares forever.

[flunkingspanish.livejournal.com]

you adore me :)

SHAAAAAAAA

[in-venting.livejournal.com]

>|

Re: SHAAAAAAAA

[flunkingspanish.livejournal.com]

:D

Re: SHAAAAAAAA

[in-venting.livejournal.com]

</3!

Re: SHAAAAAAAA

[flunkingspanish.livejournal.com]

where are you? you need a hairruffling.

Re: Nightmares forever.

[gunslinging.livejournal.com]

It never made sense to me why humans will eat other dead stuff no problem, but then totally draw the line at bugs. I mean...it's still all corpses from something.

Re: Nightmares forever.

[flunkingspanish.livejournal.com]

welcome to the wonderful world of 'humans are totally weird, dude'. WE don't even get ourselves half the time.

Re: Nightmares forever.

[enter-aeneas.livejournal.com]

...You mean humans do not normally eat insects?

Re: Nightmares forever.

[flunkingspanish.livejournal.com]

some humans do, but not so much in the culture me and sherry are from.

Aeneas does not compute.

[enter-aeneas.livejournal.com]

Oh.

...Are the insects in your area difficult to find, or are they just not as palatable?

Re: Aeneas does not compute.

[flunkingspanish.livejournal.com]

mostly its a cultural thing, I think. they're considered "gross", so people don't eat them.

[enter-aeneas.livejournal.com]

...Why?

[flunkingspanish.livejournal.com]

dunno. 'because', i guess.

[enter-aeneas.livejournal.com]

...Huh. Uhm, okay. Sorry for prying.

[flunkingspanish.livejournal.com]

don't worry about it. once you realize that people are weird, things start making as much sense as they're going to.

[gunslinging.livejournal.com]

Aren't they supposed to be high in protein or...something? I dunno much about biological stuff.

[enter-aeneas.livejournal.com]

Yes. Although, rain locusts are rather fatty and have little nutritional value other than protein and complex sugars. But they do taste very delicious.