The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-08-30
Worm That Grows Like a Plant.

Hidden away in the sanetum Of the
curator Of the Smithsonian Institution,
Washington, are few specimens of
the strangest insect in the world. 1t IS
so rare and so little understood that the
cabinet is not exhibited for public in
spection. II is known as the "bulrush
caterpillar"
This wonderful insect is the plant
worm of New Zealand, growth ap-
parently half insect and half vegeta-
ble. In its short cycle of life it is first
worm crawling on the ground or
boring into trees: later it buries itself
in the earth aud actually sprouts up
like a plant seei and sends \ stem a
foot long into the air, stem with seed
sprouts and all the characteristics Of a
vegetable growth. II is an apparent
attempt on the part of nature to bridge
the gap between the vegetable and ami
NAL kingdoms. 1t is found only in
New Zealand.
The "bulrush caterpillar is the re-
suit of the attack of fungus growth,
sphacria robertsil, upon the grub Of the
large brown moths of the hemiadae
family of the porma and pielus genera.
The grub feeds on the roots of plants,
principally on the New Zealand varie-
ties of the giant fern trees. The pop
ular name of the fungoid growth that
springs from the grub is vegetable
caterpillar" and the native Maori
names are "weri" and "anuhi."
In clearing up original forest land in
New Zealand the larvae Of the insect
in various stages of attack of the fun
gus are often found. The grub is from
two to three inches in length, blush
white in color, with black head and a
thin skin. Chocolate colored rings
define the segmental development
The fungus in growing sbsOrbs the
body of the grub, assimilating the ami
NAL substance and taking the exact
form of the living insect. As to how
the spores OF the fungi get into the
grub it is idle to speculate. There is
absolutely no data upon which to base
theory.
After killing the grub and absorbing
the body, the fungus sends up shoot
or seed stem from six to twelve inches
long. The most remarkable feature Of
the stem is that it invariably breaks
through the body of the grub in the
same place-the first joint back Of the
head. The caterpillars found with the
rush growing from them are usually
in vertical position, with the head
uppermOst, but sometimes the position
is reversed. The stem, however, always
sprouts from the same joint. The grub
burrows into the ground from > TO 5
inches before it dies or is attacked by
the fungus.
a New Zealand scientist, who has
studied thestrange insect, says: "There
is tree-boring grub exactly like the
ground one, but whether the two are
Identical has yet to be determined.
The tree-boring one is also subject to
attacks of sphaeria robertsil, as l have
found one with the seed growing from
the head, the stem projecting out of the
bore the grub has made, the end of
the stem standing out about three inches
behind the bark Of the tree. A friend
of mine has also found two others in
trees.
at is believed that the ground grub
enters the ground at the time when
about to go through its transformation
to the moth, but this belief is open to
question, and may well be doubted.
The strongest reason for doubling it is
the fact, established beyond all ques-
ton, that the tree-boring grub changes
to the moth without leaving the tree.
When about TO enter on the winged
stages of its existence it erawls to the
outer end of its bore, slips its outer
membrane and emerges a fully devel-
oped moth. Hundreds Of the empty
membranes may be observed during
the early weeks of summer.
"SOme of the moths are of large size
and beautifully marked. There is such a
variety of color among them that
scarcely two can be found Of exactly
the same shade.