A Bug By Any Other Name

posted by Nam LaMore | Friday, April 15, 2005 |  3 speak up! | | back to top |
George W Bush Beetle: Agathidium bushi Miller and WheelerAP reports that entomologists [grown-up bug hunters] have been busy combing the underbrush: 65 new species of slime-mold beetles have been discovered. Allowed the honour to name their discoveries, the bug hunters have named three species after American leaders: President Bush, Vice President Cheney and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. The scientific names for these three slime-mold beetles are:
Naming the beetles after Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld had nothing to do with physical features, but was intended to pay homage to them, said Quentin Wheeler, a former professor of entomology and plant biology at Cornell for 24 years until October.

"We admire these leaders as fellow citizens who have the courage of their convictions and are willing to do the very difficult and unpopular work of living up to principles of freedom and democracy rather than accepting the expedient or popular," said Wheeler, now the head of entomology at the Natural History Museum in London.
While the Bush bug can be found in southern Ohio, North Carolina and Virginia; the Cheney and Rumsfeld bugs are from south of the border in Mexico (ironic, considering they are looking to strengthen border controls).
tags: .......>.>.
another point of view ...

Anonymous Anonymous

shared this thought, Friday, April 15, 2005 6:05:00 AM:

What the hell ... that bug looks freakin' ugly, it has TEETH?!?
MIMI
 

Anonymous Anonymous

shared this thought, Friday, April 15, 2005 7:55:00 AM:

Are you serious? There are bugs named after these guys? How come Condi didn't get one named after her? - Lesley Frank
 

Anonymous Anonymous

shared this thought, Sunday, April 17, 2005 9:47:00 PM:

Last summer, when I was hiking around Thailand, I'm sure one of those bugs was in my tent. I woke up screaming my head off. The guide came over and just picked the bug off and tossed it in the fire. I swear to god, it looked like it was going to bite my head off. - Cathy
 

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