The Opelousas courier., 1901-03-09
"YELLoW PERIL" or INSECTS
Chameleon Spiders Kill Butterflies Saw
ing Fortunes to Agriculturists.

-
; Chameleon Spiders Kill Butterflies Saw
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-:n common language,
the department of "bugology."
How to combat the ravages of scores
of insects injurious to man OF the
plants he requires for ornament or
food is the constant study Of the bug
ologist OF entomologist.
Take, for instance. the chinch bug,
a small bug, only three t~Wenty-f1fths
of an inch in lenght, yet he made a
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, GOO.
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 n sees he
metallic glitter Of the wings of u
friend, the dragon fly. mosquito
hawk" or SNAKE doctor" to know that
he is avenging us in part for The sting
and song Of the mosquito.
But among all the forms recently ex.
~perimented with none Is Of such alb.
sorbing interest a a certain chame-
leon spider, ever changing color. 1t
Is hoped that he can be multiplied t.
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. It Is
likely though fully a third Of an inch
in length. that thousands of people
who have lived in the country their
one. For the color Of this animal Is
the means of it's securing it's food it
being a poor web spinner. and hence
compelled to lie in wait for its prey.
It's entire body is a beautiful creamy
golden yellow in color. the exact
shade Of the yellow petals of the
"black-eyed daisy"
Sitting between the petals Of the
daisy this enemy i%ncarnate Of the but
terfy kind will rarely be noticed, look
ing as it does like a petal curled up
and motionless. absolutely the color
of the flower in all except the tiny
red claws at the end Of !ts out
stretched arms.
But presently a butterfly comes laz-
lily fitting along and apparently
upon the flower. and appears
to remain resting. If the observer
was of the presence of this
yellow peril. he will have noticed
nothing unusual. For the butterfly.
often of large size, remains locked mo-
in the embrace of those ycl-
low arms. whose red claws have given
the death stroke quicker than the eye
can follow.
AS these spiders are always hungry,
and consume large numbers of butter
flies of injurious species. it will at
once be seen how increasing their
number will be a practical method Of
rid of the latter. the spiders
being absolutely harmless to plants OF
any kind.
The life of a spider is a tragedy
from beginning to end. and no more
than during courtshiD, which is de-
the grisliest lovemaking of
there is any record.
In many species the female is the
larger and more powerful Of the two,
and frequently mains OF even kills
and eats her suitors.
In n case the female kept snap
ping at the legs Of her sutton. occa-
swapping off one when The lat.
ter got too close. But he. ardent and
rorgiving lover. persisted until he had
lost four of his eight legs, when he
was at last accepted.-New York