I'm upset and I just need to post

[Crossbow]

i finally saw my first cicada the other day. bleh. They look like flying roaches.

Must've been a small one. The ones around here (when they show up) are more like flying Volkswagens.

Given the choice, I'll take bats over mosquitoes any day. I still need to set up the bat house on the back of the garage. I live about a mile from Lake Erie so bugs are a fact of life. Bats to keep them out of my yard are a good thing.

[auntiem]

I'm so sorry to hear that story - how awful!
Some of my favorite vacation memories involve bats - my favorite is one place we rented a vacation condo and were out on the balcony having a happy hour drink and all of a sudden a huge amount of large bats left the trees to go feeding at the water. It happened every night like clockwork. We ended up arranging our plans so we wouldn't miss "Bat Happy Hour".
I think talking to Brother X is a good idea. I don't know where you live, but Batworld is in TX - maybe you could talk him into going onto the site and picking a bat to adopt. (Mr. Kitty is my adoptee) That would go a long way in my mind of making amends. It doesn't undo the damage done, but reading the bat's stories and efforts to save and heal bats may change his mind or hopefully soften his heart to these wonderful creatures.
http://www.batworld.org/adopt-a-bat-now/

[AmbrosiaWriter]

I wish I had been there. I would've caught the little bugger and took him away. I've done it before. Typically a good, sturdy pillowcase is good enough to make it so they won't hurt themselves.

I think you should talk with him about it, and (optionally) explain to him how they are not pests. They eat pests. If you explain that, maybe the next time he won't be so intent to kill the poor thing.

Side note:

I love cicadas! I love the music.

[Bardmaiden]

Side note:

I love cicadas! I love the music.

First time I heard cicadas was on a drive from Newark to Atlanta (for Dragon*Con) the first year we visited the States (we don't get em in the UK). I turned to my sister and said it sounded just like the movies lol.

[Seraph]

Food Lady...I am so sorry about that. Big hugs.

I'd heard of them as "pests" before, as potential carriers of diseases, but learned different later on. I mean, the diseases part is still true, but no more than most animals.

[Mishi]

Everyone reacts differently, which is very unfortunate in this case.

Poor Rugz's reaction would have been: "Miiiiii-shiii! There's a <many expletives> bat inside! Save meeee!"