Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1883-08-09
The Senses OF Insects.

A writer in the New Orleans TiDa.s
Democrat on the senses of insects say.
there is good reason to believe that they
possess all the ordinary senses of man
Lime and others of the old school, how,
ever, thought them deprived of hearing
but numerous observations prove the
contrary. That they hear even in theil
larva state is evident from facts stated
not only by psychologists but by numer.
Gus observations made by myself
found once that the sound of my voice
evidently affected some caterpillars.
which attribute to the delicacy Oftheir
sense of touch: at another time, when
some caterpillars of a different species
were moving swiftly, l rang small
bell, upon which they instantly stopped
and moved the interior part of their
bodies very briskly. That they possess
this faculty in their image state is con-
firmed still more strongly by facts !
once was observing the motions of a
snout-beetle (curculio) whose Larvae de-
vOured the roots of our palmetto; upon
my making slight but distinct noise,
its antenn@ started. l repeated the eff
feet. A ground-beetle of considerable
size, hunting some caterpillars from the
trunk of a live-oak tree in the old City
Park, answered the sound in the same
y1anner repeatedly. Flies, have OBJ
served, at brisk and distinct sounds,
move all their legs, and spiders will
quit their prey and retire to their
hiding-places. Insects that live in
society give notice of intended move
ments, or assemble their citizens for
emigration by certain hum. But the
most satisfactory proof of hearing of
these animals is to be had from the
grasshoppers, crickets, etc., and cicadas,
whose males are vocal. l kept and fed
several katydids in a cabinet, which
were very merry, and continued sing
ing all the time; but rap at the door
would stop them instantly. BY practice
| learned to initiate their chirping; when
did this at the door at first a few
would answer me in low note, and
then the whole party would take up the
tune and sing with all their might.
once shut up male in the garden, and
gave the female her liberty: but as soon as
she heard the male chirp she flew to him
Immediately. The antenna of insects
are analogous to ears in vertebrates.
Their number corresponds; they also
stand out from the head; and what has
weighed most with me, unless they are
allowed as such no other organ can
have any pretensiOn to be considered as
the ear. If we reflect that
in every other part and organ the head
OF insects has an analogy to that of
mammaiia, we must regard it as i'm
probable that these prominent organs
should not also have their representa-
tive. Admitting, then, that they are
the analogues of ears, it will follow
their primary function is related to
hearing.
But besides receiving notices from |
the atmosphere of sound, and of the
or proximity of other insects.
etc., the antenn2 are probably the Or
CANS by which insects can discover al
teratiOns in its state, and fOretell bv
certain prognostics when a change of
weather is approaching. Bees possess
this faculty to an admirable degree.
When engaged in their daily labors. if
shower is approaching. though we
can discern no signs of it, they foresee
it and return suddenly to their hives.
Ii they wander far from home and do
not return until late in the evening, it
s a prOgnostic to be depended upon
he following day will be fine; but if
hey remain near their habitations, and
IRE seen frequently going and return
NC, although no other Indication of
vet should be discOverable, clouds will
Don arise and rain come on. Ants also
ire observed to be excellently gifted in
his respect; though they daily bring
ut their Larvae to sun them, they are
lever overtaken by sudden showers.
'revlousiy to rain, as you well know.
insects seek the house:
hen the stomoxys calcitrans, leaving
nore ignOble prey, attack us in our
partments, and interrupt our studies
nd meditations.
The insects of prey also foresee the ,
pproach of wet weather, and the ac-
ess OF flies, ETC., to places of shelter.
hen the spiders issue from their lurk-
1g-placeS, and the grOund-beetles or
arabi in the evening run about our cot
lgeS. !.
Passive antenn9, which are usually G
with terminal or lateral a
ristal, and plumose and pertinated 4
nes, seem calculated for the electric '
nd other fluids dispensed in the atmos- n
here, which in certain states and pro- b
Drtions may certainly indicate the APP
roach of tempest, or of showers, or t
rainy seasons, and may SO affect these L
'gans as to enable the insect to make C
sure prognostic of any approaching e
lange, and we know of no other organ s.
at is so likely to have this power. l Il
y electric fluids because, when the at
osphere is in a highly electrified state $.
ld tempest is approaching is the Il
ne when insects are usually most +;
'undant in the air, especially toward tt
e evening, and many species may OF
en- be taken which are not at other g
mes to be met with; but before the +
orm comes on all disappear, and you b.
Ill scarcely see a single individual on re
e wing. This seems to indicate that m
sects are particularly excited by cleo OF
city.
CuriOSitieS Of the Cholera. CT