The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1901-03-23
"YELLOW PERIL" CT INSECTS

ing Fortunes to Agriculturists.
No more marvellous chapter in the
story of insect life has ever been writ
ten than that describing the expert.
ments of the chronological depart
ment of the bureau of agriculture at
Washington-.il common language,
the department of "bugology."
How to combat the ravages Of scores
of insects injurious to man or the
plants he requires for ornament or
food is the constant study Of the bug
ologist or entomologist.
Take, for instance. the chinch bug,
small bug, only three twenty-fifths
great stir IN the world some years
since. The amount of injury done by
this insect in Illinois alone IN the year
1864 was estimated at $4,000, Zoo.
But now we seldom hear of it.
The chinch bug went out Of bust.
ness after the bugologists got their
microscopes on him. and learned that
he was infested by a small parasite
which was not only harmless, out was
readily cultivated in such numbers as
to destroy the host. as an infected
animal or plant is called.
1t is such a relief as one sees he
metallic glitter of the wings of our
| friend, the dragon fly. mosquito
hawk" or snake doctor" to know tnn
he is avenging us in part for The stin1
| and song of the ynoSuuitO
But among all theforms recently ex'
perimented with none is of such OBJ
sorbing interest as a certain chane-
leon spider, ever changing color. 1t
is hoped that he can be multiplied tf.
the point of destroying certain moths
and butterflies whose ravages in the
larval stage are the plaques OF the
gardener and~the florist.
The new spider is unusual. 1t Is
likely though fully third of an inch
in length. that thousands OF people
who have lived in the country their
whole lives have never seen single
one For the color of this animal Is
the means of its securing its food 1t
being a poor web spinner. and hence
compelled to lie in wait for its prey.
It's entire body Is beautiful creamy
golden yellow in color. the exact
shade of the yellow petals OF the
"black-eyed daisy
1 Sitting between the petals IF the
daisy this enemy incarnate of the but
terfiy kind will rarely be noticed, look
ing as it does like a petal curled ur
and motionless. absolutely the color
of the flower in all except the tiny
red claws at the end Of its out
stretched arms.
But presently butterfly comes laz
lily fitting along and apparently
alights upon the flower. and appears
to remain resting. If the observer
was unaware of the presence of thl!
yellow peril. he will have noticed
nothing unusual. For the butterfly
often of large size, remains locked mo
tionless in the embrace of those vel
low arms. whose red claws have give1
the death stroke quicker than the ey'
can follow.
AS these spiders are always hungry
and consume large numbers of butter
flies of injurious species. it will a
once be seen how increasing taei
number will be a practical method o
getting rid of the latter. the spider
being absolutely harmless to plants o
any kind.
The life of spider is trag i.
from beginning to end. and no NOR
so than during courtship. which is dc
cidedly the grisliest lovemaking o
which there is any record.
In many species the female is tn
larger and moro powerful Of the two
and frequently mains or even kill
and eats her suitors.
In one case the female kept snap
ping at the legs of her sutton. occs
sionally swapping off one when he La
ter got too close. But he. ardent an
forgiving lover, persisted until he ha
, lost four of his eight legs, when a
, was at last accepted.-New Yor
Journal.