Evening star., 1936-06-11
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

the dark it will dry out without losing
all the delicate coloring Of the specimen
in life.
The adult cicada, as most people know
who have taken the trouble to examine
them, is a clean, colorful-looking crea-
ture.
It's ruby-red eyes, in particular, re-
mind one Of sealing wax.
II the dead specimen lies In the sun
the red eyes turn brown, the body very
dark. and the hyaline wings become
tinged with yellow.
A good specimen, mounted and sealed
in glass, along with a specimen Of the
shell from which it crawled, would make
an interesting souvenir Of 1886 in the
insect world.
1t is wonderful thing. how the insect
manages to crawl out of the small slit
in the shell, and how this shell so faith
fully keeps every line and shape of the
insect beneath 1t.
This shell, which Is inodorous chitin,
literally was part of the insect until
Nature told 1t to cast. its skin. These
discarded shells keep their firm hold on
branches and leaves, but lift off easily,
of course, If one wants them as Speci-
mems.
%*%
We examined several cut ends of shrub
and tree branches, where the eggs Of
the cicada were supposed to be laid, but
were unable to discover them, even with
a glass of ten-power magnification.
We would advise all persons who find
their shrubs so damaged to let the
branches alone, until withered leaves
and time together positively prove that
the tip ends are damaged.
In some cases, where the branch Is
chewed through, there is no doubt Of
damage to this extent. In others, only
time, with whithering leaves, will prove
that the small tree or shrub suffered any
real damage. To remove all such
branches with damaged bark before
damage is proved is to run the risk of
finding out the truth in this matter Of
possible damage by the locuStS. Scien-
lists tell us that at the worst, in most
cases, the locuStS merely accomplish a
little end pruning Of trees and some
shrubs, which in the long run is good
for them.
Thousands upon thousands Of the in
sects never reach the appointed goal,
but die by the wayside. Hundreds are
trod to earth by feet, hundreds eaten
by dogs-and some catS-thouSands run
over by humming tires of motor vehicles.
Nature did not give all the locusts
perfect health, by any means. We have
seen some without eyes, others minus
wings, or other parts Of their bodies.
No doubt of the millions which start to
the tree tops only a certain percentage
arrive there. OF the trillions of eggs
laid, only a very small percentage will
ever reach the ground, and there enter
as the beginning of a new cycle. The
killer instinct in mankind makes him
destroy whatever he does not under
stand. And who can understand the
cicadas? They act by instinct, We are
told, but what is it We act by? Many of
our deeds are less sure than those of
the locusts. Man staggers along, blind
ly entering into the darkness of wars,
almost as blindly staggering out of them
into the light Of peace and happiness
again. Who dareS say We really know
more than cicadas, or that our plan
nings are any better than the appar-
emily ruthless instincts of the brute
| creatures? If we do know more, or our
planned economies are better than those
Of the locusts, it is only because knowl-
edge and love- working together, hold
| us nearer to the Divine idea.