Even though you're listening to this on podcast and not on the air, you can still call our toll-free number 877929-9673.

And you can still send us email to Words at waywardradio.org.

And you can still find us online at wayward radio.org.

You're listening to Away With Words. I'm Grant Barrett.

And I'm Martha Barnett.

If you're like me, you probably remember as a child picking up those little gray bugs with lots of legs and watching them roll into a ball. Rolly-pollies, right? Yeah, yeah, that's what I called them. But the funny thing is that one of our listeners, Lindsay Klaus, says she grew up calling them bowling ball bugs. Bowling ball bugs. Isn't that great? That's a natural word, right? Yeah, it is. It is. But she thought that maybe her father made that up because that was the only place that she'd ever heard it. So like anybody with a language question, Lindsay went to our Facebook page and asked what other names people use for these bugs. And boy, did she get an earful. Who knew there were so many names for those

little creatures, Grant? I had no idea. I've never heard of sow bug, but Dirk says that they call them that in California, S-O-W. They have something to do with pigs? I don't know. I don't know. And a fellow calling himself, Oso-W-man, Oso says that he calls them Dillo seeds, which I guess is short for Armadillo, right?

Oh, that would make sense.

That would make sense because the scientific name... woman also says that he calls them dillo seeds, which I guess is short for armadillo, right?

Oh, that would make sense.

That would make sense because the scientific name for these little creatures is armadilly

vulgaris.

Because they look like tiny armadillos.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, but we also saw the names woodlice and basketball bug and chiggy pig. They're just so many names for that. Pillbug, let's not forget that. Let's not forget pillowbug. Oh, there was such a long list of them. And Grant, I tell you, I did not know until after we were talking about this on the Facebook page that there is a scientific word for what those little bugs do when they roll up. When they protect the soft parts, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. They just roll into those little bowling ball looking. There's a word for that. The word for that is conglobulation. Conglobulation. Happy birthday. There are mornings when I feel like conglobulating. Conglubulating. I love that. So armadillos, pangolins, which is a scaly anteater, and roly polleys. They all do this. They all conglubulate. Who knew? Well, I love the fact that we have so many common names for common creatures, right? These insects which are spread across the world. You're drawn to them, right?

They're the gateway drug to be an entomologist. Or etymologist. Give us a call. 877-929-9673. Tell us about what you

call the insects where you're from or anything at all, and send in an email to words at waywardradio.org.

Hello, you have a way with words.

Well, hi, how are you guys doing?

Good. Who's this? Doing well. This is Carol. I'm calling from Odessa, Texas. Hi, Carol. Welcome to the program. Thank you very much. I appreciate that. I'm actually in a classroom full of students. May they say hello to you as well? Of course. Yeah.

Okay.

What a smart bunch of students. Of course. Yeah. Okay.

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