Have Mercy

Herself posted the picture of yesterday's vinegaroon on Facebook, because fascinating bug to share. She was amused by the multiple cries of some variation of "no": nyet, nope, nopenopenope, a BIG FAT nope, neaux, nah, NO.  She understands completely; it's certainly not the type of creature one would want to encounter in an up-close-and-personal manner. She was surprised, though, that more than one person expressed an opinion that the vinegaroon should die -- and more specifically, that Herself should have killed it.

What?

A wild animal, minding its own business, out in its environment.
Kill it? Why?

Perhaps Herself is biased because she knows a vinegaroon by sight and knows it is harmless? No. Even if she had never seen one before, there was no reason to cause it harm.  She could certainly outrun the creature; and at any rate, it had its own agenda that clearly did not include attacking a passing human being.

What if the vinegaroon had appeared in her house? That would be a bit more alarming, certainly.  The best tactic for such a large intruder would be to trap it with a plastic container, slide a piece of cardboard under it, and remove it as expediently as possible to the out-of-doors.  She's done that more than once with other insect life in the house.

Suffer the creatures. Even the 'ugly' and misunderstood ones. Especially those.

Will we kill the vinegaroon?

No.

Go to the Harrell House Bug Museum in Santa Fe, and you too can hold a vinegaroon.