The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-10
creature which lives in the ant hin

creature which lives in the ant nil
itself
This is but a mention of few among
the countless varieties of Kansas in
sects. those most common in western
Kansas and most sought after by col
1ectors. It would be we'll II there were
more study and closer discrimination ii4
this line. To show how much room
there is for general study take the COM
mon fly, to most people just fly. But
the careful observer will notice wide
differences The common house fly.
though annoying enough, cannot bite,
and rests with its head downward. The
cattle flies are biters and rest IN an
entirely different position The Varie-
ties which buzz around ones team are
surprising in number and in differences.
The bot ny lays its eggs only where
they are likely to be scr2ped off ana
swallowed, another fly settles on the
horses back. the greenhead gets under
him. some flies bite only his neck,
little lacewfg buzzes around his ears,
and when he throws his head up vfo-
lently another is probably attacking his
under jaw. IN the Rocky mountains
fly about the size of d bee came in
clouds but when the head and neck were
covered with cloth they made no fur
Their trouble.
Some years ago an inventor attached
an elastic cord to a bdA When thrown
the ball was brought back by the cord.
It Is stated that the profits on this IN
ve1tiOn were 800 900. There IS a jump
{ ing spider winch uses a ETe OF Wen 70
bring it back when it leaps upon its
prey. This is what the inventor copied
The hairy caterpillar gets rid Of dust
and dirt precisely as the vibrator of a
threshing machine pushes out the
straw. The first tunnel under river
was bored by a machine modelled on
the head of shipWorm. No doubt
there are other cases in which careful
+ observation will pay as well.
The question is sometimes asked
whether it is not dangerous to handle
these insects There is no beetle which
can do more than to pinch q little
though the blister beetles should not
+ be crushed IN the hand The grasshOp-
/ per tribe are all harmless but there are
some small insects known as tree hop
persa whose bite is said to cause q sore.
The dragon flies are innocent of harm.
Most caterpillars are harmless, no mat
I ter how many horns they have or how
savage they look. But If they are
messy. that is having branching hair,
they should not be touched. In this
case each hair is tipped with a very
small sting. But if the hair does not
branch the creature cannot bite OF
sting Most ants can pinch but not Sc
verely. The large red and black ant
+ stings Occasionally. however, one sees
a large red and black hairy ant running
about alone; this is not really an ant
but a wingless wasp and has a power
full sting, as any one will discover who
picks it up with his fingers. OF course
wasps. hornets. spiders. and centipedes
need to be handled with discretion
Wasps all sting more or less severely
and the bite Of the large spiders and
centipedes is very dangerous.
The average collector is not likely Il
be harmed by these or any thing else
The only case in which we met with Z
VenOmous creature of any kind was
when huge RATHER refused to give the
road. He is now one of the chief at
fractions of DR. Horizons excellent pri
vate collection
Nor VIII anything modest the camp
The traveller may sleep in perfect peace
And when the collector gets home hs
has the pleasant memories of his trip
his collections to arrange and noun
and a store OF health besides Such ar,
the rewards of an overland trip in west
ern Kansas. S. G. MEAD.