Pest wishes for the holidays

You know it's Christmastime in Rhode Island when the company formerly known as New England Pest Control (they're now called Big Blue Bug Solutions) lights up their giant blue termite on I-95 in Providence, and that's just what happened last night. He's known as Nibbles Woodaway, and he's festively decorated as a sort of red-nosed reindeer termite mutant, which would have fit nicely into a holiday sequel to the 1950s sci-fi classic "Them". Here's a mediocre video I shot of him a couple of years ago (he looks about the same this year). God bless us, every one.

Eccentric Rhode-side Christmas, Part 1: The Big Blue Bug

Fleas navidad!

The Big Blue Bug in the off-season

My adopted home state of Rhode Island is no slouch when it comes to nice Christmas light displays. You've got your elegant seaport decorations in Newport, your stately Blithewold Mansion of Bristol, and your greeting card-worthy Providence City Hall Christmas tree. For my money, though, it isn't really Chritsmas in the Ocean State until New England Pest Control lights up their giant blue termite off I-95 in Providence. Since 1980, the pest removal company has had a 58-foot long, 9-foot tall, 4000-pound termite on top of their headquarters. Nibbles Woodaway, as he is known, is a beloved icon to all Rhode Islanders, although most natives refer to him simply as the Big Blue Bug. Around the holidays, he is decked with thousands of blue lights and his head is fitted with electric antlers and a blinking red nose, making him Nibbles The Red-Nosed Mutant Termite Reindeer Thing. Here's a special Christmas Big Blue Bug director's cut cinema verite (in other words, I shot it with my point-and-shoot and it goes on a little too long):