Mite-herder Poetry

Tim's got a new post up on his wonderful Backyard Arthropod Project blog. It's all about mites. I did a little checking around about mite behavior and came across this.

A group of ethologists -- animal behaviorists -- have demonstrated that these mites migrate through our homes in crowds. They like the occasional communal road trip, and they follow each other using some signal, perhaps chemical, to chose the route more traveled.

Since mites naturally travel in groups, you can herd mites. This raises the natural question: can you get an NEA grant to host a mite-herder poetry festival? If so, here's my submission:

The clouds hung low after the rain swept through
My jumpsuit hung loose from my skin
The mites had been restless as had my crew
(The vacuum had backed up again)

I called to Dispatch and asked for a break
The Man said no go for you:
"The Finklegarbs' house is an arthropod lake
(Remember to take off your shoes)"

You're welcome.