Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1915-05-12
THE INSECT MENACE.


Helpless Against Il.
Among the geological Articles in .hs
smithsonian Institution's annual report
Is ONE on the value Of birds to man, In
which the author, James Buckland, OF
London, makes the astounding statement
that although man imagines himself the
dominant power Of the earth, be 10 moth
ing Of The sort, the true lords Of the
universe being the insects.
Although man has attained predom-
niancs over the most fierce and powerful
animals and most deadly Replica, he
and his works, contends Mr.. Buckisnd.
would b. Of littls avail before an attsck
OF insscts, which include greater num-
Der Of spsciss than ell other living
creatures combined. About 3oO.OO
species havs bssn described, while possi-
bly, twice that number still remain
unknown.
The author Gays that these incompatible
hordes fsed ON nearly ali living animals
end practically all plants, and multiply
into prodigious numbers In an incredibly
short time. Computations show that one
species developing thirteen generations .
year would II unchecked to the twelfth
generation multiply to ten sextillions Of
individuals, while . single pair Of the
wsii-kno~D gypsy moths, II un-
checked, would produce in eight years
enough progeny to destroy all the foliage
Of the United States. One pair OF potato
bugs, he asserts. would develop un-
rh~,ir.<s N M ~ 4, : .t~-s~ -
which rata OF multiplication tho potato
plant would not survive long.
According to Mr.. Buckland insects are
quite a. astounding In their consuming
qualities - In their rate OF increase. A
caterpillar eats twice its weight in leaves
day and in proportion horse would con-
sumo ton Of hay In twenty four hoars.
Certain nesh eating larvss consume 30
times their original weight In twenty four
hours. In this manner an infant would
dsvoar 800 pounds Of meat during the
srst day OF his life.
IL il reported BY . specialist that the
food taken BY si.kworm In fifty-six days
equals $1,000 timss lie original weight.
All Of these fscts show what trsmsndous
destruction insects may carss.
Through 10 predominating insect Diet
and on account Of It's exseedingiy rapid
digestion, the bird becomes the most in
dispensabie balancing force OF nature.
Without Its assistance, man, with his
poisons, tbs weather and animals, a. well
~ the parasitic predictions insects, would
be helpless The author tells how the
bird 10 benefit to man 10 checking insect
invasions, in preserving forests and
orchards; points out their service in the
meadows and gardens; their value in the
meadows and gardens; their usefulness In
the preservation OF health and elimina-
tion OF disease.
Remarkable instances OF the birds SER
vice to man include the introduction OF
the English sparrow into New Zealand,
with the resulting elimination OF the
thistle and the caterpillar, which were
running the land and crops, and the saw
ing OF Australian agriculture from the
grssshoppers by the straw necked ibis, in
individual crsws OF which an average OF
2.io0 grasshoppers was found.
The story OF Frederick the Great,
wherein he Is alleged to have ordered all
small birds killed because the sparrows
had pecked ct some OF the cherries, and the
resulting lack OF fruit, but fms crop of
caterpiilars two years later, prove
graphic lesson. The "scsIp act" of Penn
syivania, which paid in bounties 10000
for the determination OF hawks and owls,
lost for the state q, s50. 900 In damage, due
to the increase OF small rodents, which re-
suited.
When Montana was free from hawks
and owls il became SO ovcrrun with de-
structive rodents that the legislature
offered rewards for them "a task which the
banished hawks and owls had performed
free OF charge. But during the first six
months such large sums Ct money were
paid out that special session OF the legis-
iature was called to repeal the act before
the state went bankrupt.