Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1917-06-14


which were almost as fragile as wasp's
nest, passages ran in every direction
passages that looked as if they were lined
with white velvet, so close together were
the white filaments OF the mushroom
spawn. Protruding here and there from
this velvet welt OF filaments, were the
curious fruiting bodies, like little pearls,
that the mushroom spawn had apparently
been induced TO form. Those fruiting
bodies seemed particularly adapted TO the
needs OF the baby termiteS, for, although
could never catch them in the act OF eat
ing the mushrooms, found undigeSted
mushroom fragments in their microscopic
stomachS.
carried the kings and queens and their
retainerS, in their brick-hard royal cham
berS, to different parts of the island, and
watched conflicts between four different
species. | came to fear the jaws OF one
species, for they would bring the blood
at every pinch but the StrangeSt ant OF
all was The black nasuti, which had no
pincerS at all, but kept its enemies at bay
with squirt gun in the top OF IFS head.
The sticky fluid that il threw out generally
deferred the enemy from attacking it,
The insects of Java were so fascinating
that, although am botanist, could not
help studying them. did not realize
then that the insects here in America are
just as fascinating and curious, and that
their struggles for existence are just as
fierce as those OF Java. II is only since ]
have been hunting them with big camera
on my own place in Maryland that
realize what field OF adventure exists in
our very back yards.
There are half a million species OF in
sectS-each OF which numbers multitudeS
OF members. Some have powers offiight
so tremendous that they can sail thouS-
and miles before the wind; some have
jumping powers so great that, if we had
them, we could jump over the highest
houses and across the widest streams /;
some have poison faugs OF terrific power.
What object in the meadow is more
curious than the cast-off skin Of a garter
snake? Yet everywhere in the grass in
early summer, if you only look for them,
you can find the outgrown shells OF Spi-
derS, grasshopperS, cricketS, and all sorts
OF strange creatures. Thatth caterpillar
turns into butterfly is something that
almost every schoolboy knows, but that
all the dragon flies, and true flies and bee
ties and bees and wasps and glatS have
two lives, if we may call them such, is a
tact that most people do not understand.
II is hard TO realize that the brilliant
dragon fly, which darts through the air al
such terrific speed, was once an ugly,
mud -colored, slow-moving inhabitant OF
some pool or lake. These mud dragons,
or dragon fly nymphs, conceal themselves
in the mud at the bottom OF the pond
where they are born, and cover up their
faces with innocent looking claws, which
are in reality powerful gripping organs
with splneS on the inside. If you put a
mud dragon into your aquarium and watch
it, you will see those claws open and
stretch forward, grip their victim, and
convey il 10 the mouth that lies concealed
behind them.
Nearly everyone has seen at least once
in his life the praying mantiS, and won
dered at its curious attitude OF devotion.
In reality, however, this creature is far
from devout It's knees, which are bent
as is in prayer, have spines with which il
can grip and hold its prey and its trian
guIar little head, so poised that it can turn
it hallway round, has pair OF jaws with
which il can tear any small creature into
fragments. Its appetite is Unsuitable, and
it has cannibaIistic tendencies that you
cannot even read Of without a shudder.
Ii is often small thing that shuts US
out OF very great enjoyment In the
case OF this interesting world of insects it
is generally the fact that the inhabitants
themselves are hard 10 see. II lilies were
as big as buzzards, and germs as large as
peanuts, twould not have taken mankind
thousands of years 10 discover that flies
were the carriers and germs the causes Of
disease. The microscope, however,
solves the problem for us. There are now
instruments OF sufficient magnifying pow
er that are inexpensive and easy TO carry.
With the help OF one of them you can see
the tiny creatures so plainly that they
take on form, almost personality. And
you will soon come 10 realize that their
actions have just as much meaning as the
actions OF larger animals.
Why, wonder, are we so often afraid
of these fascinating insects? Perhaps the
same kind OF Ignorance that prevents US
from eating mushrooms from the field be-
cause few are poisonous prevents US
from picking UP the insects that we see
for fear they will sting or bite US. But,
with the exception OF bees and wasps,
most insects are harmless. Even the
fiercest-looking beetles with their power
ful Jaws can hardly penetrate our skin.
OF all the thousand species OF spiders
that inhabit our Northern States there are
perhaps two that could in any way harm
us. Yet children are taught to kill a spi-
der. Not ore child II half a million knows
that spiders are our friends.
1t is remarkable how our attitude
changes toward these creatures after we
have seen them through lens. My boy
and sat for half an hour with our opera
glasses, watching three dragon flies that
had found fine hunting place in a still