El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-04-06


Do Not Make Coeoons.
Butterfly caterpillars do not make
cocoons- Some of the moth caterpu-
lars spin them, and others do not. IN
the canal zone was recently discovered
a most remar6a bic moth. which some
body has called the cradle bug
When Its larva is ready 10 so into the
pupa stage IL spins an aerial cradle
which looks for all the world like
tiny rlSh net SuSpendlnE IL by single
silken thread 10 or y inches in length,
from convenient leaf on a tree.
In this net the insect spends the
helpless period Of its existence as
chrysaliss safe from the predatory
tropical ants which, but for the in
genious precaution described. would
devour II. One might suppose that an
ant could easily make its way down
the thread from the leaf above, but as
a matter Of fact such a feat is al
most impossible. inasmuch as the
slightest touch on the suspending cord
causes the pupa TO jump about in its
cradle so violently that the intruder
would be surely dislOdged from its
slippery foOthOld.
In making this arrangement for its
own protection, the caterpillar begins
by attaching the sustaining thread
firmly to the selected leaf At its
lower end, the thread is split into
three strands. which are utilized as a
beginning for the framework Of the
cradle. When the latter is finished
the Insect is inclOsed within it, and
simply lies there while passing
through the pupa stage and awaiting
it's final transformation. on emerging
from the chrysalis, It craWls out of the
net through a hole which has been
left in the top for the purpose, and
after spreading and drying its wings
flies away.
Differ IN Color.
It is interesting, by the way. to
notice how the silk spun by various
species Of moths differ in color The
cocOOns Of one variety of the common
or domesticated silkworm are snow
white those Of another variety are
golden yellow. The socalled Japanese
silkworm, which is q different species
Of insect, spins silk Of a greenish
shade. Again, the cradle bug forms
It's loosemeshed net out Of thread of a
beautiful scarlet
The object Of the cocoon, Of course.
IS always protection for the occupant
during its period of temporary death.
butterfly caterpillars, which do not
spin them, have hard pupa cases, i'm
permeable TO the weather. Those
moths which make cOcoons. on the
other hand. are soft during this stage
Of their existence. and need az fleecy
sllken blanket to cover them up
IN AFRICA however, certain butter
tlles have been recently discovered
which build communal nests Several
Of the latter were sent to the Smith
Sonian institution at washington BY
MI Roosevelt, attached to tree branch
ess as they were found They are either
built in a fork between small branch
es, OF else so constructed as TO sur
round branch. Such a nest. light
brown In color and about as big as
ones two fists put together. is in
closed IN a thick envelope OF silken I
fiber so closely woven as to be rain
proof, thus affording a perfect secur- |
lty TO hundreds of butterfly pupac I
inside It represents, In fact, a whole
flock of butterflies.
Collects the Nests.
An effort is being made 10 find out 4
II Is practicable 10 make use !
Of this butterfly silk for Industrial /
purposes. 1t can be gathered in al /
East Africa. as wild crop. the in 4
sect In question being a plentiful spe-
cies. All that is necessary would be Z
10 go through the forests at the proper /
season OF each year and collect the /
nests from the trees. But il is vet /
% be ascertained whether the silk can 4
be reeled-
The death Of a human being is Of
ERIN which, in a sense. is very strik-
ngly applicable to the butterfly Cor
he MOTH when II has entered upon
Is pupa stage. AS caterpillar, its !
,hief business in life was eating, and I
IN this account its body was occupied
Utmost wholly by a digestive system.
But when ii has shut itself up In its
.offin-lil1e chrysalls. all Of its inter
]
disappear, being reduced to a form
ess and structureless pulp. In fact
lOthing worth mentioning Of the or
ginal animal seems TO remain, except
Is nervous system
What happens them Why, the most
wonderful thing Imaginable. Out Of
he pulp, by means wholly beyond hu-
nan understanding, are built mp an
nurely new set Of organs, adapted for
having to do with the future
ctivities of the insect Most import
mt among these are the reproduc-
I've apparatus (for the female must
o continue her species), and the mech
nism for flight The caterpillar, Of |
curse, has no flight mechanism, even
n a rudimentaTy form, yet the mus
he butterfly are powerful and exceed
lgly complex
Literally a Rebirth.
Accordingly, 1t may be said that the i
dissolution" Of the caterpillar. during
Is pupa stage, is followed almost i'm
lediateIv bv rebirth. 1t perishes.
eft lives again in an entirely new
tate of existence Most apt. then, is
he Ikening Of this transformation to ;
hat Of a human being. who, passing
trough an apparent and temporary 1
cath. is thereby freed from earthly
onds and like the butterfly, accom-
fishes a glorious resurrection.
The ancient Greeks called the butter
Iy Psyche-after the goddess who in
heir mythology. represented the idea
Z the soul She was the bride of
upid, and the offspring Of the mating
7as Pleasure.
AS the story went Psyche was the
aughter of a king and the youngest
( three sisters. Although. to begin
nth, mortal maiden, her beauty vas
o remarkable that people came IN
hrongs from great distances to gaze
pom her charms; affairs were erected |
o her, and she was worshlped al
econd Venus.
Angry at Psyche.
The Queen Of Love was NATURALLY,
-ritated at seeing her own affairs 1er-
ected, and set on foot a series Of
ordinations against Psyche. event,I-
lly causing Psyche's father 10 exDoSa
er on a rock. whence she was e,-
ected to be carried away by mon
ter. Amid the tears OF the peOple
he was placed on a lofty Graz but [
lille she sat weeping there. Zephvr
7nt by cupid (who had become Sc
reilly enamOred Of herr. gently raised
nd c1r--foa ha- n q charv,,f~-- ---rT---