Population Explosion

For many years Dennis has faithfully eradicated the plants we call "sticktights" from our property. Nevertheless, this summer we've seen an astonishing number of plants along the road, by our driveway, along the edge of the woods and in the pasture.

If you didn't know what they were, you might say, "Oh, look at the pretty little white flowers scattered among the grasses." Indeed, they are pretty.

But look what they become!

Each flower has become a seed covered with hundreds of tiny burrs that latch onto your socks and pants and hitch rides on passing furry animals. They are designed to disperse and take over the world.

We've been talking about how such an explosion could occur in light of Dennis' diligent eradication efforts. I suspect it's a result of ideal growing conditions for sticktights this year.

This population explosion is not very different from the explosion of human beings all over the world, except maybe in western Kansas, where population is dwindling. Think of all the women who carry fertile eggs and of all the eager men whose sperm number beyond measure. Many of these folks, like sticktights, attempt to reproduce themselves in the greatest possible numbers.

Population explosions occur frequently in nature, but they cannot be sustained and the populations collapse. One year, billions of sticktights; the next year just a few. One year, grasshoppers everywhere; the next year, not so many.

Unlike sticktights, human beings have choices. I hope no one will attempt to eradicate human beings, but I also hope that human beings will choose to reproduce responsibly for the ultimate good of our species -- before our population collapses.