The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-02-22
Information.
w INSECTS PASS THE WINTER.

~ III have, doubtless, heard how the Bear,
/. N fat on the fruits Of, his fall campaign, re-
III 10 some hole in the rocks where the softly
III ny snow by degrees makes a beautiful er.
Tx Counterpart which protects him from the
IA during his long winter sleep. The fat,
II ii lies in great folds just under the skin, is
n !ualiy absorbed into his system, and as no
HIS no exercise, it requires but little fuel to
Ia /, the spark Of life glowing. Occasionally he
IA /; his paws, and seems TO derive much CON-
N therefrom.
Ii Ifhen the spring comes and his icy roof melts
II runs away to fill up the little brooks that
Il Bile of strange things as they GO leaping down
III Ihill-slepes, he comes out, and a very lean and
III cry bear he is for few day.
N men there is the snail who. when he feels
WI first approach of cold weather, retires into
HI innermost chamber of the wonderful house
tlllways carries about on his back, and there
4 ms mason, and by means of q cement which
n manufactures, builds up strong wall to keep
II the chilly air of winter, and so goes to sleep,
Hing not a whit for the bowling winds which
llture the sturdiest trees till they groan with
1I.ulsh.
There are very few insects, that is, full grown
ueots that pass their winters thus. Most in
Els are at that time still in the egg, undevel-
HID, and waiting for warm weather to hatch
4 m out: many species are in the grub or baby
lite, many more in the pupa or chrysalis stage,
Iist few, arrived at maturity late in the fall,
N, carefully hidden away in cracks and quiet
lbks, only to be tempted out from their seclu-
X N by one of these rare but delicious winter
Nlys, when the sun shines bright, and the gilt
Hing icicles drop tears, wrung from their very
larts.
How hard it is to realize, as we walk about on
bleak winters day. well protected from the
nsing cold by innumerable wrappers, that this
ire white shroud of snow serves also as warm
Iunterpane and that under its folds are hidden
\ g germs of millions of futu;o insects, friends
id foes All about us, in tho ground under our
let, in the trees, swinging their gaunt and
llked limbs about over our heads, in the holes
lad couhtless cracks in our walls and fences, in
lfery corner and srevce in our houses, in the
cry stubble which crackes so crisply under our
lead where the wind has blown the snow away,
ad lying hidden from our gaze, myriads of in
bets in all the various stages of their existence.
.lthough we may hot see them, still we may be
D certain that they are there as we are positive
aat the seeds of the many thousand plants
1hich will next season delight our eye or please
tlr other senses, are now concealed in the bosom
Mother Earth-this same snow q mantle to
rotect them from the cold.
Although but few come fitting and running
cross our path, yet if We search for them dill.
emily, we shall find them in great numbers on
very hand. Let us take a trowel and go down
nto our orchard and dig down among the roots
the trees, and many strange forms of insect
lfe will reward careful search-little mummcs
wrapped in thick shrouds. queer little babies in
swaddling clothes, some sound asleep,
theirs with Just animation enough to wriggle
heir tails fcebly and then go off again into their
eep sleep Take your trowel aud dig into the
Mound in this hollow tree, and other little sleep
rs come to view; twist off this ragged piece Of
ark, and whole colonies get their first glimpse
+ the sun-to be sure rs though seen through
lass dimly, but nevertheless their first peep at
daylight around these twigs we find strange
bracelets Of eggs, here and there collections Of
gg-like clusters OF ssed.pearls swinging on the
nd OF branches, swaying to the music of every
'assing breeze, we find tho cradles and ham
noeks Of many moths and butterflies on the
ark strange warts disfgure the trees whilst in
he very grass under our feet, if we pluck it up
nd examine it closely, we shall find tiny babies
nugly laid away in satin-lined apartments.
The heat Of our houses and stables keeps the
ousehold insects partially awake during the
vinter, whilst in their nests and hives the ants
nd bees quietly sleep most of the time, till the
TlSHt sun teluptS lHeNl W ieaVe Cnclr homes,
ften to meet their fate by the wayside, where,
alf frozen, they fall and soon die.
The Lady Birds that have survived the first
harp attack of Jack Frost, like to creep into out
t the way corners, and there huddle close to-
ether like "a flock of sheep facing northcr, only
D leave their winter quarters occasionally on
Draging expedition among the COWS Of the ants.
)ne observer found on a cold day in November
less than fifteen of these little red jackets to.
ether in hole in post, sound asleep. The
rub of the Stag Beetle lives in the ground in
'inter, in sort of cave followed ont and pol
she'd very smoothly. The grubs of Dor Bugs
i've in the summer just below the surface Of the
round, but as the season advances they descend
ato the depths of the earth and go to sleep.
The weevils pass their winters in different
Ways. One kind lives in peas and you can find
hem in dry peas in the winter-time, getting
eady to creep out in the spring. If you exam.
ne these same peas early in the spring, you will
ind in nearly ALL little black beetles, their heads
ust peepns out Of small holes they have made
With their teeth.
On The branches of many of our trees we shall
ind their delicate limbs encireled by arInlets
made up of many scores of beads, each bead in
line to produce caterpiller. These bead brace.
OTIS are protected from tho damp and rain by
waterproof coating which puts our best roofing
material to the blush. These are the eggs Of
he Lacky Moths, and are found on the plum.
Dear and hawthorn. Another moth plucks off
he hairs from her body till she is nearly stripped
laked, and with these covers up the eggs. The
'aporer Moths lay their eggs upon warm, silky
beds, using the identical cocoons out of which
hey themselves once crept when first coming into
he world as moths
The eggs OF insects are able to Withstand an
intense degree of cold. The same temperature
Which would immediately kill the tiny inhab.
ants OF the egg if once Matched, seems to have
10 effect upon him in thst safe retreat.
Some caterpillars are Matched from eggs in the
autumn, and pass the winter quietly doing up-