The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-09-09
BEETLES.

| IL AEJs
| The great family of beetles is one O
the most important in the insect world
In burning sandy plains, in tropica
Jungles, in fresh green fields, in bogs
and sWamps-wherever there is a BIZ
OF earth or water-there are beetles o.
OF one kind or another, following ouI
the instincts assigned to them by
nature.
The beetle known as the sacred
scarabeus was held in great veneration
by the ancient Egyptians, and is carved
IN great profusion on their tombs.
Small gold and porcelain figures of the
scarabeus, which were strung on neck
laces, and used in other ways for per-
sonal ornaments, have also been found
in Egyptian sarcophagi
The way the sacredscarabaus deposits
its eggs is a wonderful exhibition OF
animal instinct. First collecting an
ample supply of the material which the
young Larvae will need for food, she
places her eggs in the middle of it.
She then rolls it into lump, and starts
with it on voyage of discovery. She
works backward, pushing the ball con-
tanning her eggs behind her, until she
hnds soil in which she can burrow and
conceal her precious burden. tits said
to be for this popularity that the
scarabaus was venerated by the ancient
Egyptians. The lump of earth con-
tanning the eggs was considered an
emblem offruitfulness, and the devotion
OF the scarabaus, which would lose its
life rather than its precious eggs.
was thought to symbolic the exceeding
love of the Creator toward men.
The tiger-beetles, of which there are
many varieties, are one of the most
important branches of the family.
They have great hooked jaws, formed
to seize the small insects upon which
they live. They can not exist in very
cold countries, and they are rarely
found in cultivated land, as they prefer
burrowing in loose, sandy soil, where
their little homes are not in danger of
being disturbed by the gardeners
spade. A remarkable tiger. beetle is
the gold-cross of India, which has a
deep velvety black body, and golden
mark on its wings in shape like a St.
Andrews cross. The prevailing colors
OF the tiger beetle are black, green and
blue, but there lisa little Brazilian mem
Der of the family of a glisteninp
metallic crimson. 1t has very lone
legs, and prefers climbing among the
foliage to living on the ground. like
most varieties of the tiger-beetle. It's
movements are very quick. 1t will
ponnce like lightning on a fiy, which can
rarely escape the grasp of this formid.
able enemy.
:. A very curious beetle is the bombar-
der, brown creature with green gloss
on its wings. 1t carries little bomb-shell.
winch 1t uses asaweapon of defense when
disturbed by an enemy. 1t is yery
sociable little bug, and will gather in
a crowd under big fat stones in damn
places. If the stone is suddenly over
turned, the bombardiers at once BEGIN
cannonade like the explosion of a grain
OF gunpowder, and throw out a puff of
whltlsh vapor resembling smoke. The
oombardlers of South America, China.
and other warm countries, are mnob
larger than those found in England. and
the fluid they eject, which causes the
tiny explosion, is capable of making a
black stain, and leave an unpleasant
burning sensation upon the hand of anv
one trying to capture them.
A large number of the beetle family
s found in Nicaragua. 1t is about five
inches long, and is called the big
bodied elephant. It is black in color.
out appears Of a yellowish-chestnut, as
t is entirely covered with a thick. soft |
ur, something like the down on a but |
'eri1ys wing, which rubs off very easily,
md shows the scaly black surface be-
heath. The big-bodied elephant is
lrmed with formidable black horn.
orked at the end, which curves upward
Ike the horn of white rhinoeeros.
Certain species of the elater beetles
re familiar to every school-boy. Elater
lgnifies striking or bounding. Bows
VII know better what is meant by an
later beetle if they are told that it is
ne same thing as a skip-jack, or snap
ing bug. Ii this beetle is laid on its
'ack, its legs are unable to reach to
lther side and gain foot-hold, and it
annot roll over. 1t accordingly goes
through gymnastic movement. Curl
ag its legs closely to its body, it arches
tsef little, and suddenly springs into
he air, landing on its feet, in which
'osltlon it is again master of itself.
Inc most remarkable among the
later beetles is the cuculio, or FREELY,
4 the tropics. It is very common
boxing dark brown beetle in the day-
lme, the two beads, one on each side
Its head, which at night are so lu-
1lnous and beautiful, being dull white.
tut wait until night comes, and then
That countless pairs of tiny yellow
reen lanterns are flying over the fields,
nd creeping about among the foliage!
oys and girls in Cuba make cages of