The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-11

/ direction, 1t is Obliged to set its wits 10
/ work in order to obtain sufficient sup
| ply Of food. SO. by means of its broad.
fiat head. II digs funnel-shaped trap OF
/ pitfan about three inches IN depth. choos-
/ ing a sandy locality. where its labors will
/ be as light as possible. At the bottom Of
this pit II buries itself. with only its eyes
| and nippers visible, and patiently waits
I for prey.
/ Presently along comes some Innocent ant
or fly, which tumbles down the treache-
rOus incline into the very jaws of the
lion. Should escape. however, be attempt
I ed. binding showers OF sand are pitched
upward until the bewildered victim re-
/ signs itself to its fate. After its juices
have been thoroughly extracted. the dry
/ skin is tossed out Of sight, and the den is
| set in order for the next conner For two
years the ant-lion leads this destructive
existence, and then retires from the world
/ for a period of two months, when it comes
l forth totally different creature, both in
/ habits and appearance. somewhat resemb-
\ ling the dragon fly only that the wings
\ are broader. more flexible and of lighter
weight.
The largest beetle in this vicinity is the
! giant capricorn, or long-horns (Prionus
| Californicus). the body of which is about
/ three inches in length, while the jointed
antennae sweep from the sides of its
head like an exaggerated French mus
/ tache. The larvae are fat, white grubs
/ living in the trunks of forest trees, where
they bore bewilderlng maze of narrow
tunnels.
An exceedingly useful insect is the sex
ton or burying beetle, which inters small
1 dead animals, such as frogs, mice, birds
of gophers. They may be easily recog-
nized by their shining black bodies about
an inch in length. and by the orange-col-
ored knobs on the end of the antennae
II the object lies on hard or rocky ground
the beetle flies off for assistance. and It
| is dragged to softer soil. The queer little
grave digger then begins operations by
making series of burrows about the
animal, using its stout legs and broad
Nat head for a spade and plow Presently
the body begins to sink of its own weight.
aided in its descents by vigorous pulls
and pushes. After eight or nine hours of
hard work. the earth is thrown back into
the hole and the task is completed. In this
grave the young beetles make their ap-
pearance and pass through the primary
stages.
The black water beetles, which may be
seen crcling upon the surface of ponds
and creeks are very destructive to tad
poles and young fish. Their strong hind
legs serve as oars while swimming, and
they breathe by means of openings called
spiracles under the wing cases.
Everyone knows the cockchafer or June
bug, a clumsy beetle striped with white
anu lawn ColOF, ana win dnlennae end
ing in six or seven movable plates or
leaflets. Though It lives only about
week, the grub lies hidden In the ground
for nearly three years, and In both stages
is extremely voracious, subsisting upon
roots, grasses and leaves.
The great-eyed spring beetle or snap
ping bug" is always a source of amuse-
ment. for when turned over upon its
back it springs upward a distance Of ten
or twelve times its own length and comes
down right side up" with sort of click
or snap, the trick being a compensation
for the extreme shortness of its legs.
The brilliant blue beetles which make
their home upon the milkweed stalks
have a curious habit of playing dead"
when disturbed or frightened and the
stupid black ground beetles bury their
heads in the ground, after the fashion
of the ostrich. Z
A capricorn beetle, beautifully check
cred with shades of gray. and with
head and horns closely resembling those
of a goat, was discovered upon the mot
tied boughs of an alder, the bark of
which was almost identical with the in
sect's coloring.
The slender, sparkling little tiger beetle
is very apuy named, for its life is spent
in pursuing and devouring weaker de-
fenseless creatures The larvae are also
carnivorous, and hide in perpendicular
holes about foot in length. swapping up
any insects which happen to approach
their burrow.
Upon heaps of rubbish may some
times be seen the rove beetles, or,
Devils coach horses" often called
cocktails" 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
or so of large wasp-like creatures, banded
with black and yellow, and with a sort
of tail like horse hair extending sever
al inches from the end of the body
These are ichneumon flies which are very
useful in keeping down hurtful insects.
At the extremity of the long fine
ovipositor is a strong little saw which
is capable of boring through the most
solid timber. Crawling slowly over the
! tree trunk and listening until its hears
a gnat feeding beneath the bark, II 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 into the outer world.
The "daddy-long-legs," or crane flies,
which often strike terror into the
hearts of the timid are quite harmless
in the perfect state, though their larvae
are terrible pests to farmers, as they
feed upon the roots of grasses.
Butterflies and moths-brown, yellow
| black, white, blue and lavender-fioat air
lily past like wind-blown flowers, as well
as fragile lace-winged flies, of all colors
and descriptions.
Near by, the willy balloon-web spider
constructs 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
/ transparent covering. These curious in
! fants are frequently taken out into sun
| shine by their faithful nurses In order to
i hasten their development, and are ever
attended with the greatest soncitude.
In connection with the foregoing remarks
brief description of some of the distin-
| gushing characteristics of different kinds
| of insects may not be out Of place A
bug" differs from a beetle in having a
sucking mouth, a triangular thorax and
no ,rIrr CHI