The iconic termite Nibbles Woodaway has been vandalized. In case you didn’t know his name, Nibbles is more informally known as the Big Blue Bug, perched on a rooftop overlooking I-95 in Providence.
Employees of the pest control company Big Blue Bug Solutions found graffiti on the giant bug Monday morning.
The two sets of tags found on the body are prompting a police investigation, according to Tony DeJesus, service and technical manager at the company.
“Thank God nobody fell. People don’t realize that bug is high up there,” said DeJesus.
The bug is roughly 9 feet tall.
Once the police investigation is over, DeJesus said the company hopes to paint over the graffiti or power wash the affected areas. Otherwise, a costly paint job for the entire bug might be in order.
“We don’t know if during the removal — the paint gets damaged — we may even have to have the whole bug repainted for all we know,” explained DeJesus.
According to DeJesus, Woodaway has never been subject to vandalism in the almost 40 years the giant fiberglass termite has been on display next to the highway.
