Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-05


and creeks are tvefy destructive to tadpoles
and young fish. Their strong hind legs
serve as oars while swimming, and they
breathe by means Of openings called spir-
acles under the wing cases.
Every one knows the cockchafer or June
bug, a clumsy beetle striped with white and
six or seven movable plates or leaflets.
Though 1t lives only about a'week, the grub
lies hidden in the ground for nearly three
years. and in both stages is extremely vo-
leaves. IN
The great-eyed spring beetle, or SNAP
ping bug" Is always a source Of amuse-
nent, for when turned over upon Its back
twelve times its own length and comes
down fright side up" with a sort of click
or snap, the trick being a compensation for
the extreme shortness Of its legs.
Some Brilliant Hues.
The brilliant blue beetles which make
their home upon the milkweed stalks have
curious habit Of playing dead" when ois-
turbed or frightened. and the stupid black
ground beetles bury their heads in the
ground, after the fashion of the ostrich.
A capricorn beetle. beautifully checkered
with shades of gray, and with head and
horns closely resembling those of a goat.
was discovered upon the notified boughs OF
an alder, the bark of which was almost
identical with the insects coloring.
very aptly named, for its life is spent in
pursuing and devouring weaker defenseiess
creatures. The larvae are also carnivoroas.
and hide in perpendicular holes about a loot
in length swapping up any insects which
happen to approach their burrow
Upon heaps Of rubbish may sometimes De
seen the rove beetles, or Devils coach
horses" often called "cockta tails" from their
habit of curling up the end of the body.
when resting after flight, their object being
to tuck the large gauzy wings beneath the
tiny elytra or wing-cases.
Here upon the pine trunk are score OF
SO of large wasp-like creatures. banded with
black and yellow. and with sort OF tan
like a horse hair, extending several inches
reumon flies. which are very useful in
keeping down hurtfu1 insects. At the ex-
tremity of the long, fine ovipositor Is
strong, little saw, which Is capable OF Dor
ing through the most solid timber. Crawl
ing slowly over the tree trunk and listen
ing until 1t hears gnat feeding beneath
the bark, it drills a small hole through the
intervening wood and simply places an
egg in its back. In time this matches into
a second grub, which feeds upon the first
and then makes its way to the outer world.
The "daddy-1ong-legs." or crane flies,
which so often strike terror to the heart
of the timid, are quite harmless in the per-
feet state, though their larvae are terrible
pests to the farmer, as they feed upon the
roots Of grasses.
They Are Very Busy.
Butterflies and moths-brown, yellow,
black, white, blue and lavender-foat airily
past like wind-blown flowers, as we'll as
fragile lace-winged flies, of all colors and
descriptions.
Near by. the willy balloon-web spider con-
structs his globular trap. and lies In wait
for the unwary "blue-bottle."
Ants there are in abundance, hurrying
and skurrying about, the very type of in
dustry and Importance. Some of them carry
large, white bundles in their mouths.
which, upon examination, are found to be
cocoons or pupae, the undeveloped ant in
side being plainly visible through the trans
parent covering. These curious infants are
frequently taken out into sunshine by their
faithful nurses in order to hasten their de-
velopment, and are ever attended with the
greatest Solicitude
In connection with the foregoing remarks
a brief description of some of the dislin-
gushing characteristics Of different kinds
of insects may not be olt of place. A bug
differs from a beetle in having sucking
mouth, a triangular thoraX and peculiarly
shaped wing case-the beetle possessing
strong jaws or mandibles. moving in a
horizontal direction, and four wings, two
of which are membranous and tucked,
when at rest, beneath the horny upper pair,
or elytra. Both have six legs, as do all
true insects, this rule excluding the spider.
which, being furnished with eight append
ages, belongs to a class with the scorpion.
The antennae of a moth are beautifully
plumed or feathered. while those Of but
terfy are knobbed at the extremities. The
former insect relaxes its wings after flight,
and the latter folds them over its back
in an upright position.
Many of these deEizens of the woods and
fields are annoying or even dangerous, but
if those who ordinarily shudder at the most most
briefly into their interesting habits their
disgust would be lost in admiration Of their
intelligence and skillfulness.