Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-10-10
INSECT MUSICIANS.
Loves Old Sweet Song as Fiddled by
Bugs in Dying Days OF summer

Bugs In Dying Days Of summer.
When summer begins to wane-say
along about the middle on september
and all the little bugs OF the treetops
ana grasses arc preparing to vanish
with the holidays, just attune aour
ear 10 natures orchestra, and YOU win
hear a mighty Kidding. From grand
father bug To- baby bug the entire fam
ily have out heir dddlcs and bows.
and are sending forth Loves ola Sweet
Song and lullahies and fareWells which
are just as tuneful as the airs pro-
duced 10y human orchestra.
There is scarcely AN insect of the
hcld or forest that does not possess its
fiddle and bow. and, by means OF their
violin strings. certain insects call upon
their mates give signals, communicate
intelligence and perhaps. give expires
sion TO their own little emotions.
They do not confne themselves 20 one
tune. In the daytime their uiu is
full Of spirit ana joy at night it takes
on tinge Of melancholy and gombor-
ness. Even their songs change from
sprightliness 10 one Of sorrow.
Upon the tunes produced 10y the lit
tie musicians depends the domestic
happiness Of the insects. The male
alone hddles. and If his love tune Doe
true his chance of winning a noiseless
bride are much better Should his
fiddle be out of tune or his song be
poor he IS liable 20 remain a discon-
ISOLATE bachelor.
The loug-horned grasshopper. or true
locust, and the common cricket arc
probably the lest known OF AN strid-
uiating on hddling insects. or the
long-hOrned gra9shopper, the katydid
is characteristic representation. This
little musician Is supplied with two
sets OF wings. The outer and heavier
ones are used for flying while the
inner pair make up the bow and fiddle
Near the base OF these inner WING.
is located a set OF strong veins. BY
bringing the veins on each wing into
contact and rubbing them together. the
song Of the locust is produced.
talented musician of the orchestra
variety Is the common llttl-. grass
hopper. His fiddle is attached TO
one wing, and he uses his hind Les
for bow. on this leg Is "A line OF
little bead-like prominences. from each
of which grows a number OF fine hairs
When the grasshopper draws this leg
back and forth over the violin arrange
ment on his wing, his love songs swell
out ON the air.
The female grasshopper tries 10 inn
ltate hef musical mate. and nddlpe
away with Vigor. but for an that She
Is unable to produce a single sound
natural musician too is the little
cricket, and his tune Is generally loud
en- and more lively than that oi the
locust II is said that the nddIng
Efforts of some OF these little chaps
have been heard at least a mile from
the place where they We're so indus
triously working
One by day ana another by night As
the program OF the cricket he has
even been known Co change tho tuup
when the sun has been temporarily
obscurcd by clouds. Nucu approached
ne will cease his musical strains
Sometimes. however he has been
fooled. and has permitted observing
scientists to get close To him and
watch him conducting ais oue-instru-
mcut orchestra.
FiddlinE, however. is not the only
means by which these musical in-
scots seronado their loved ones.
The ii-year locust for instance
puts the melody Of hls soul into the
revcrberatlona of two abdominal
drum-
These drumhoads are tight To
each is attached strong muscle.
which the insect can tighten or re-