9

At the end of "Homestead," as Neelix is preparing to permanently leave the ship, Tuvok stops him. Before he's able to speak, Tuvok looks down and grinds his foot into the ground for a few seconds. Is he smashing a bug?

This is but one piece of circumstantial evidence. There may be more, but I'm unsure of them presently.

10
  • 1
    You should provide video if it's that relevant to the question. Commented Jul 26, 2018 at 23:37
  • 2
    To be honest, it is probably just a stereotypical gesture that people make when they are coy or nervous about sharing something intimate. Like is Tuvok about tell him his going to miss him?? Commented Jul 26, 2018 at 23:46
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    Is the question here asking whether there are insects on Voyager, or is it asking what Tuvok was doing in that scene? Those are different questions, and as demonstrated below, they have separate answers. So I think it should be edited to clarify which one is really being asked. (Probably the latter, given that it's the one that has already been answered)
    – David Z
    Commented Jul 27, 2018 at 2:21
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    @HamSandwich Then why did you accept TPMs answer which doesn't answer the question? Commented Jul 27, 2018 at 12:56
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    Why on earth would Tuvok be squishing a bug in that moment?? Commented Jul 27, 2018 at 13:31

3 Answers 3

26

Yes, there are insects on Voyager. They are "Spawn Beetles" used in the Hydroponics Bay for pollinating flowers.

Kes chows down on a handful in the episode Elogium, where she's in breeding frenzy.

Kes, just about to eat bugs

2
  • Thanks for the answer. Perhaps Tuvok was crushing one of these. Commented Jul 27, 2018 at 15:40
  • 3
    No! He was dancing, like ThePopMachine answered. So, yes there are bugs on Voyager, and No, Tuvok was not squashing one when farewelling Neelix. Commented Jul 27, 2018 at 20:42
45

The scene you're describing is a follow up to this exchange at the beginning of the episode.

NEELIX: And now, for some more of Zefram Cochrane's favourite music. Hey, come on, Mister Vulcan.
TUVOK: Vulcans do not dance.
NEELIX: But it's tradition.
TUVOK: There is no tradition, Mister Neelix. This ceremony is entirely your invention.
JANEWAY: This is an official ship function, Commander. Don't make me order you to dance.

Later, when Neelix is leaving, Tuvok is doing a little mini twist (the dance) to show Neelix that he respects him and will miss him by putting himself out and to some degree embarrassing himself by dancing.

So.... bottom line, that particular scene is no evidence of whether there are insects on Voyager.

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    But to directly answer the title question, yes there are bugs on Voyager. They're used in the hydroponic garden as seen in the episode Elogium.
    – Xantec
    Commented Jul 27, 2018 at 1:30
  • The best dancing a Vulcan can bring himself to muster up
    – Nacht
    Commented Jul 28, 2018 at 5:50
8

There's also an occasion when Voyager becomes infested with "Photonic fleas".

Photonic fleas were tiny flying insects native to the Delta Quadrant. They built flimsy webs and fed on plasma particles.

A mating pair of photonic fleas were inadvertently brought aboard the USS Voyager in 2376 within a shipment of amber spice. The insects nested near a plasma conduit, causing a momentary loss of sensor resolution whenever they tapped into the conduit for nourishment. They were moved to a safe location after their discovery. (VOY: "The Voyager Conspiracy")

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  • 1
    Please don't provide what is essentially a link only answer. I've added the information in from the link so your answer has a bit more meat to it.
    – TheLethalCarrot
    Commented Jul 27, 2018 at 8:21
  • "moved to a safe location"?? Eyeroll.
    – RonJohn
    Commented Jul 27, 2018 at 14:00

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