The Washington herald., 1912-04-07
EASTER AND BUTTERFLY;
WHY INSECT is SYMBOL
Rebirth of Human Being After Death Is Like Emer-
gence from ChrySaliS.

Why has the butterfly been accepted
as the symbol of Easter?
1t is an allegory, which comes down
to us from the ancient Greeks. Adapted
to Easter, IT makes the butterfly an
emblem of the soul. which. freed from
the bondage OF flesh. and risen from the
ldead (as Christ rose after forty days.,
puts on the wings OF Immortality.
The idea is beautiful in its poetic
imagery. Also, the analogy is striking
ly apt. The ugly, crawling caterpillar
assumes what is, at all events. the
semblance and outward aspect Of death.
Shut up in ITS chrysalis-box. 1t remains
for many weeks helpless and immobile,
like a dead person in a coffin. Then,
lol a miracle comes to pass. The pupa-
coffin splits open. and there emerges
not the loathly worm" but a dainty
and prismatic-hued creature which.
spreading its lovely wings, futters
bllthely away, upborne by the gentle
summer airs.
Plenty of Chry salids.
At this time OF year, when springs
arrival is almost at hand, anybody who
takes a walk in the country. or in the
outskirts of city. can find. II he looks
for them. plenty OF butterfly chrystalids
and moth cocoons. on the branches and
under the leaves of trees and bushes, or
attached TO fence rails. Among them he
will. perchance, discover the cocoons Of
the Cecropia moth. which are somewhat
the size and shape of a Brazil nut; like
wise those of the Ailanthus. the Poly
phemus, the Promethea, and the Luna
moths.
The caterpillars Of all Of these moths,
by the way. are excellent spinners OF
| silk. their product being Of such good
quality that efforts, more or less sue
cessful, have been made TO utilize II for
the weaving of fabrics. As for the Luna,
the insect. OF large size and delicate
green in color. vies in beauty with the
most exquisite butterflies.
Now. II the butterfly chrysalids or
moth cocoons be gently detached and
carried home, the insects before long
will emerge from them, exhibiting. under
circumstances convenient for close-at-
hand observation one of the most won
derful and instructive OF natural pheno-
mena- Placed on a shelf in a warm
room, they will soon make up their
minds that spring has come, and. break
ing the bonds OF a temporary death,
will resume living existence as crea-
lures OF the air.
Must Get CrfnkIe, Out.
1t is desirable. however. to provide for
them a small branch or two. on which
they may crawl up when they emerge.
for their wings, while in the pupa-caSe.
were tightly folded. and they must nave
chance to expand them and get the
crinkles out
One reason why II is worth while to
rear moths and butterflies in this fashion
is that one gets them fresh and new-as
II. indeed, they had stepped out Of so
many figurative bandboxes. They have
had no opportunity. as is the case with
their fellows In the wild state, to be-
come marred and damaged. Every one
Of them Is perfect. And hence IL IS that
collectors commonly resort to this ex-
pedient in order to obtain satisfactory
specimens for their cabinets.
When, as often happens. Il is prdctica-
BILE to secure the eggs Of butterflies or
moths Gin summer or early falD, they
may be kept indoors until they hatch.
and the csterpillars may be reared to
maturity by supplying them with plenty
Thus the Polyphemus mot1, for example,
should be fed on oak leaves until, when
autumn has arrived, 1t spins the cocoon
which Is required to protect IL while 1t
undergoes a temporary death.
Do Not Make Cocoons.
Butterfly caterpiIlars do not make CO.
spin them. and others do not. In the
Canal Zone was recently discovered
most remarkable moth, which somebody
has called the cradle bug" When its
lsrva is ready to go into the pupa stage
II spins an aerial cradle which looks for
all the world like a tiny fish net. sus-
pending 1t by a single silken thread, ten
or twelve inches in length, from con-
venient leaf on a tree.
In this net the insect spends the help
less period of its existence as a chrysalis,
safe from the predatory tropical ants
which. but for the ingenious precaution
described. would devour it. 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 almost 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 slip
perry foothold.
In making this arrangement for its own
protection, the caterpillar begins by at
taching the sustaining thread firmly to
the selected leaf. At it's lower end, the
thread is split into three strands. which
are utilized as a beginning for the Frame
work 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 its
final transformation. On emerging from
the chrysalis. il crawls out of the net
through a hole which has been left in
the top for the purpose, and after spread
ing and drying its wings. flies away.
Differ in Color.
II 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
s.lkworm are snow-white, those OF an
other variety are golden yellow. The
so-called Japanese silkworm, which is
a different species of insect. spins silk
of a greenish shade. Again. the cradle
bug forms its l1ose-meshed net out of
thread of beautiful scarlet.
The object OF the cocoon. of course, is
always protection for the occupant dur
ing its period of temporary death. But
terfiy caterpillars. which do not spin
them, have hard pupa cases. impermeable
to the weather Those moths which make
cocoons. on the other hand, are soft
during this stage of their existence, and
need a heecy silken blanket to cover
them up.
In Africa, however. certain butterflies
have been recently discovered which build
communal nests. Several OF the latter
were sent to the Smithsonian Institu-
ton, at Washington. by Mr.. Roosevelt.
sttached to tree branches. as they were