Checkered Beetle Visitor: Wings of Wisdom
By Lisa Loucks-Christenson, MMJ and Publisher
March 30, 2026 | Published April 2, 2026 at 1:00 AM CDT
A friendly brick-orange checkered beetle, sporting 70s-style black-and-white diagonals, landed right on my arm today at the Laurie (Loucks) Burt Wildlife Sanctuary. At first glance, I worried it was a red-headed ash borer—but no, this curious fellow was just resting before dropping to the deck.
It’s what they do when they don’t have their wings yet. Are we like these immatures? We spend our youth dropping into new places, unsure what to do because we haven’t earned our wings to fly.
Maybe this beetle’s arrival wasn’t coincidence—it reminded me youth wasn’t wasted. Now I can take flight anytime, but never forget those fallen years.
Until the east-rising sun meets the west horizon, I’ll be out exploring, then and beyond... MMJ Lisa Loucks-Christenson
Lisa Loucks-Christenson is the Founder, Publisher and MMJ for the Rochester Sun Times News. An award-winning author, illustrator, poet, wildlife documentarian, and independent journalist, she has written and illustrated and/or photographed over 400 books and stories, hundreds of poems, thousands of original comics, interviewed countless celebrities and guests, and produced captivating documentaries on nature and local history. Her work seamlessly covers independent news and reports intertwined with her travels and adventures across the heartland. If you would like to be featured or considered for a story, reach out to Lisa at News@LisaLC.com or use the contact form.
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