The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-09-29
Danger Signals Of the Wasps.

Now, geologically speaking, the in
sects appeared before the birds, and
in early times there may have been
as highly colored caterpillars as now,
and the warning colors may have ex-
listed without reference to insectivor-
GUS birds. Hence Beddard thinks that
the brilliant colors have caused the
inedibility Of the species rather than
that the inedibility has necessitated
the production of brighter color as an
advertisement"
Another group of insects with warn
ing colors are the wasps,. so gaily
painted In black with bright yellow
trappings. Although toads and bee
eaters readily devour them, they are
not, as a rule, molested by birds.l "A
young bird which has innocently tried
to swallow a wasp and been stung In
the attempt will, we may feel sure,
never make the mistake second time,
SO easily are wasps recognized by their
bright markings.
1t Is apparently owing to this immu-
nifty Of wasps from the attacks Of most
birds that certain flies painted like
wasps are not eaten by birds.
Once while in the woods Of north
ern Maine my attention was attracted
by an insect had never before seen,
and which l thought was wasp. I
instinctively drew my hand back from
1t, but afterward captured 1t with
sweep of my net, when on examina-
ton found 1t was harmless wasp
like fly, but with rounder body and
more truly wasp-like in Its yellow trap
pings than most Surplus fiies. II I
was thus deceived, why should not
bird be mistaken?
Now these black and yellow Surplus
flies are very common, lowering over
or alighting upon flowers to feed upon
the pollen. They apparently have no
fear, and escape the attacks Of birds,
and thus owe their immunity FROM
danger TO their resemblance to other
insects which hang out danger-signals
saying plainly, Touch me not"
After all, as has been stated by Mr..
Poulton In his "Colors of Animals"
colors can only be safely
adopted by small proportion of in
sects in any country. The means Of
defence il SO simple that we should
expect more cases of 1t. We do see
that honey-bees with their modest
Quaker-like garb are not thus protect
ed. their sting being their sole means
u defence; but yet there are many
colored bees, especially in
the tropics, which may be said to DOS.
;ess warning colors.
However it may be with the human
species, the males of insects are not
The lords of creation" Male wasps,
Ind also bees of highly colored kinds,
Is humblebees, are marked in nearly
ne same way as the workers or fe-
males. but they have no sting. 1t will
'e readily seen, then, that the warning
,olors Of this sex are all-important.
Certainly most people would fear to
- Up :" AbiAS "oSPs dbhVu6h an
omologist can recognize them by the |
lifferent shape and color of the front |
If the head. But with little doubt j
birds confound them with the females,
ind let them alone.
1t may be said, finally, that the mat
er of warning colors is not fanciful,
tut apparently well-founded. for there
ire clear cases in other kinds of ami
nails. Very striking examples occur
fnong snakes, frogs, and salamanders.
Also, while some animals possess
varriIng colors, 1t has been pretty well
established that others have alluring
olors. But space forbids our entering
pom this subject. Meanwhile we
rould commend such attractive
hemes as these to our young rising
atnralists. Youths Companion. /