No question this one’s a stretch (pun intended), but how could I pass up an opportunity to connect pest control with the Olympics?

Thankfully, Barry Murray -- as in “Barry The Bug Guy,” national spokesman for pest control company, Truly Nolen, –- already did. In his blog, Barry lobbies for a Bug Olympics, given insects’ remarkable abilities, which he compares to those of Olympians. Fleas are outstanding jumpers and Cicadas, Barry says, are “the world champions of noise making.”

Barry’s even found a way to link bugs to swimmer Michael Phelps, who has already won six gold medals in his quest for eight in Beijing. Barry went in search of a golden insect and found Edgar Allan Poe’s story, The Gold Bug. I’ll go one step further and bring this full circle: Phelps is from Baltimore, which is where Poe lived and is buried.