COURTESY DARCY OISHI "Rhapsody in Blue Wandering" is the name of the piece at top, created by a maggot named John Coltrane.

Fly fans wax
rhapsodic over
crawling larvae art

A Farm Fair exhibit
shows bugs can be fun

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By Nadine Kam
nkam@starbulletin.com

John Coltrane knew his time as an artist would be short-lived, so he put his entire being into creating works of art that would illuminate his world beyond his lifetime. His "Rhapsody in Blue Wandering" is a masterpiece in minimalism, looking like a couple of nebula or spiny starfish adrift in nothingness.

Like Jean-Michel Basquiat or Keith Haring, Coltrane's time in the spotlight was much too brief, but unlike the former artists, Coltrane remains with us, albeit unrecognizable from his creative days. But don't cry for Coltrane, because thousands of budding artists will be vying for your attention Sunday at the State Farm Fair.

Coltrane was a maggot. Literally.

After passing through the pupal state, Coltrane is now a blowfly lovingly tended by Darcy Oishi, a research associate with the University of Hawaii Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences Entomology Program, who plans to care for Coltrane for as long as he lives, which, all going well, might be a year.

COURTESY DARCY OISHI Rare koa bugs about to hatch.

On Sunday, fair-goers will glimpse up close the world of insects as presented by the UH Entomology Club Ka Mea Kolo, for which Oishi serves as an outreach coordinator. As the educational arm of the department and university, the entomologists spread out into schools and the community to teach people about insects and "how generally cool they are," he said.

At the fair, there'll be displays of spiders, scorpions, centipedes and other creepy crawlies (oops, you don't want to make such derogatory comments around bug people, who regard insects and arachnids as "nice" and "helpful.")

The entomologists will be serving up mealworm cookies too, which Oishi describes as having a nutty flavor.

But the day's highlight will be the opportunity to witness firsthand the miracle of Maggot Art as those bold enough to pick up the squishy, wiggly creatures will be rewarded with original works suitable for framing.

The artists are naturals. "Maggots, before they become pupa, wander around," Oishi said. "They can travel up to 30 feet from a body. A graduate student, Rebecca Bullard decided to make a game of it. She dipped them in water soluble paint and let them wander.

COURTESY DARCY OISHI The rare koa bug will be among insects shown by entomologists at the Farm Fair.

"They can do a lot of art work. It's just a matter of having enough paint on their bodies. It doesn't harm them. They survive to become flies that produce a new generation of maggot artists."

This artistic phase lasts only 24 hours, as the maggots tend to wander in a curved path, said Oishi, who adds that the maggots are fully fed before striking out, unlike their starving human counterparts.

The maggots are raised on "nice clean livers," so there's no need to worry about contaminants in handling them, although the entomologists provide soft, springy forceps for picking up the maggots without harming them.

"Kids handle maggots a lot better than adults do," Oishi said. "They spend a lot of time with them; they're meticulous in spending time to get the maggots to do what they want. Sometimes we get kids who want a rainbow of colors. For us, it becomes a management issue because other people are waiting, but it's a very positive experience."

He plans to have at least a thousand maggots ready to paint on Sunday. And if Coltrane was the most prolific of his brethren, there are duds. "Maybe they haven't had enough food and they get sluggish, or maybe they just don't want to do it anymore. In that case we just put them away so they can rest," Oishi said.

OISHI IS A late-comer to the world of insects. He graduated from Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., with a bachelor's degree in biology, specializing in food pathogens, only to return home to an uncertain career market. He took the first science-related job available, which was in the UH Entomology Department, fearing all the while that "bugs are no fun."

To his surprise, he became captivated by insects, particularly after taking a course in forensic entomology, the use of bugs to solve crime.

He's now an insect connoisseur who isn't averse to chowing on pupa pilaf sautéed in butter, or termites that taste like "slightly nutty popcorn." Friends have given up on daring him to eat insects, because he'll not only happily do so, he won't even give them the pleasure of feigning sickness over the ordeal.

"Western society is kind of the freak because insects are eaten all around the world," he said, urging those on perpetual diets to take note. Insects are known to be rich in protein and low in fat and carbohydrates, making them one of the most nutritionally sound foods around.

And therein lies the entomologists' mission.

"Our goal is to get people to stop fearing insects," said Oishi, who disliked the movie "Starship Troopers" because of its portrayal of insects as evil. On the other hand, he liked "Joe's Apartment" because of the roaches' attempts to help their human roommate.

He lauds insects' beneficial traits, such as the maggots' ability to treat human wounds by eating the dead flesh that stalls the healing process. Even dreaded termites perform the necessary task of recycling forest wastes, he said -- at least when they're not munching on pricey real estate.

Given Hawaii's lengthy relationship with cockroaches, he suggests we all recognize the fine line that separates our hate for the creatures from love.

"Even though people here are disgusted by them, we're also proud of them because of their size. We have all these names for them, like B-52s," he said. Plays, songs and T-shirt artists have also paid tribute to the roach.

There are other signs that people are warming to bugs. In California, teachers are clamoring to learn more about maggot art and Bullard is helping to supply maggots in classrooms. And if they lose a few, no biggie.

So you'd think, with so many pesky flies all around. But Oishi can't bear to harm a fly. "We like flies. Flies keep us in business."

Maggot Art At the State Farm Fair Where: Aloha Stadium When: "World of Bugs" demonstrations and displays from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday; fair hours are 6 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Aug. 1 and noon to midnight Saturdays and Sundays through Aug. 4 Admission: $3 adults; $1.50 children 5 to 12; free for under 5; parking is $3 per vehicle at Aloha Stadium

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