Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Who's Breeding Gigantic Beetles?





(Above: Radio control arthropods)

Not long ago, a suspicious package arrived at the Mohnton, Pennsylvania post office. The return address was a town in Taiwan and its contents were listed as "toys, gifts, and jellies." Yet something was moving around and scratching inside of the box, and the local postmaster was pretty sure that it wasn't fruit preserves.

The package was sent to Philadelphia where it was X-rayed. Inside, customs officials found more than two dozen enormous Hercules, rhinoceros and Goliath beetles--all five to six inches in diameter. Many of the beetles were labeled by gender, which means the recipient was probably intending to breed them.

Of course in Japan, these types of bugs are used in beetle battles. Is it possible that the (not so) bloody sport is already being played in hidden rooms across America?

(Below: One of the seized bugs)


24 comments:

Kitty said...

Beetles... They go crunch when you squish them! XD I thought there were only beetle battles in China, Tawain, and Japan... Maybe there is a secret beetle battle somewhere in America... But Tawain is known to have strange foods (also China, Korea, and Japan).

FN da World Dictator said...

Ewwww...some people actulllay eat them!!!

carmela said...

Ha! I've been visiting your site a long time ago but this is the first time I'm going to leave a comment. I've read your books, which are so awesome, and you've made it to the "My Favorite Authors" list. Congratulations!! I'm looking forward for the next sequel of the Empress Tomb. I really wish your books would be a movie. That would be so fabulous! Then I could be Oona since I'm Asian. Or I could also be Ananka since we have A LOT in common.(haha. Hey, there's nothing wrong in day dreaming, right?)

Kitty said...

I think so Fn Da World Dictator. I saw that China eats scorpions, fried worms, and fried cicadia. And the Tawainese eat the weirdist fruits. The Japanese eat... Eel ice cream... http://
www.weird-food
.com/weird-f
ood-bugs.html

Check that out guys... Ewww... >.<

Kitty said...

Lookie what I found:
http://www.msn
bc.msn.com/id/2
4695796/?GT1=43001

Hmm... Many reported glowing orbs as aliens. I remembered that ghosts can also take the orbish shape too... What do you guys think??

Anonymous said...

I don't mind beetles, but there is know way you could make me eat one :o! Oh and I saw a show where people where having magots (baby flies) on spagetti! GROSS!!!

sekrit7 said...

That's a creepyly big beetle!

Kitty: I believe they are either ghosts or aliens for sure. It's too weird for anything else, and lifes more fun that way = D

kalakadoo said...

those are big.....

Raph said...

For some reason, I just thought of the delivery truck from The Empress's Tomb. Tasty Treats, was it?

Anyway, I did some research, and a few things are confusing me:

1) What the heck were these beetles doing in Taiwan? According to what I found, they're tropical rainforest dwellers. And Taiwan is largely industrial, and certainly not tropical, no?

2) Why label their genders? Again, according to what I read, male and female Hercules beetles look so different, that they were originally thought to be different species altogether.

So I'm guessing that they could have been sent from their original habit to Taiwan, to perhaps participate in these 'beetle battles', and then maybe being sent to America for breeding? That's just my opinion. xD Otherwise, I'm stumped. Interesting article, though. ^^

Raph said...

And sorry if I sounded snappy in my other post. xD I didn't mean to - I'm just so tired...

FN da World Dictator said...

I went to a weird food website and they were selling CAT INTESTINES!!!!

Anonymous said...

battle beetle, i chose you!

come on, it didnt remind anyone else of pokemon? :P

:)
M

nellie said...

IGITT!!

nellie said...

I just had a good idea.
When we get back to the States I will start a Kiki Strike play/movie.
Woe betide Hazel if she doesn't participate!!
:D

Ms. Bookworm said...

Ow... That's scary...And fascinating! :S

Patsee said...

Is that legal?

And in contrast to what Carmela said, can you promise to NEVER make the series into movies? That would completely ruin it and it doesn't let my imagination run as rampant as it's accustomed to doing.

sekrit7 said...

I cmopletly agree with Patsee! (No offense Carmela XD)

Random Irregular said...

I completely agree with Patsee and sekrit7, NEVER make Kiki Stirke or allow anyone to make them into a movie.
The beetles legs look icky.

E-star said...

Ooh, mayeb you have a beetle smuggler/a crazy scientist hiding somwhere around Pennsylvania! Anybdy who lives in Pennsylvaina tat can find out more?? ;)

Kirsten Miller said...

Carmela: Thank you!! I've sent your name to the casting directors! ;)

Raph: Once again, I commend you for your detective work. Yes, it is puzzling. There appears to be international bug-smuggling cartel! (And you didn't sound snappy at all!)

Nellie: Excellent idea!

Patsee, Sekrit7, and RI: What if I could ensure that it wouldn't get screwed up? (Like A Series of Unfortunate Events--how sad.)

E-star said...

Hey, I also want the nams to the casting directors of the movie!!!! ;) I could play... well, prbably Luz, Betty or Ananka. Well, first of all I have to think of getting away my swedish accent... As you can see, daydreaming is my favourite thing to do. ;)

Carmela said...

Seriously?!! Oh my gosh!! Thank you so much!! I'm hyperventilating right now. I think I might need a paper bag. ;) Thank You SOOOOOO much!! I'm thirteen right now so that would work since Anaka was writing The Shadow City when she was 13. Thanks You so again!! :D

Random Irregular said...

Hmmmm. I'm still not sure. Kiki Strike is waaaay too good to get stuffed up in a movie. You will have to be the director or someone who has a say in everything for the Kiki Strike movie.
The Series of Unfortuneate Events movie is one of my faves, even if they are 'derailed' from the true plot of the books. But it's still sad.

ss chick said...

holy fart! those are huge!

ewwww.. i only mind disgusting bugs.