THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESENTED BY PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD: O R , CONVERSATIONS UPON INSECTS, BETWEEN AN AUNT AND HER NIECES The smallest insect holds a rank Important in the eye of Him, Who framed the scale of being." PHILADELPHIA: LINDSAY & BLAKISTON, N.W. cor. Fourth and Chesnut streets. 1844. Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1844, by MERRIHEW AND THOMPSON, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States in and for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. MEBHIHEW $ THOMPSON, Printers, No. 7 Carter's Alley. CONTENTS EVENING FIRST. Introduction Child's story Beauty of insects Mean- ing of the term insect Structure of insects Eggs of insects Why spiders are not insects Antennae Proboscis, - . g EVENING SECOND. Wonders of nature Larvae Casting of the skin Chrysalis Perfect insect Winter sleep of insects Care of the mother for her eggs Usefulness of in- sects to man, - - 20 EVENING THIRD. Favorite ant hills An unfortunate meal Interior of ant hills Manner of building Observations of Hu- ber Wood ants Distinction of rank among ants- Devotion to their queen The royal chamber Divi- sion of labor Anecdote of a worker Manner of feeding the young Ant cows Odor of ants A worker saves the lives of its companions Travelling ants of Brazil Parasol ants, - - - - 28 iv CONTENTS. EVENING FOURTH. Buildings of termites Provision r.ooms Nurseries Attack upon the hill Under-ground galleries Mis- chief committed by termites Good which they effect How used as food, - 43 EVENING FIFTH. Butterfly within the body of the caterpillar Instinct displayed in depositing eggs Preparations for the chrysalis state Escape from the cocoon Wing scales of butterflies Leaf-rolling caterpillars Cocoons Earth-mason caterpillar Social cater- pillars Distinctions between butterflies and moths Woollen moth, - 52 EVENING SIXTH. Silk-worm Cocoons Reeling silk Weight of co- coons Silk, when first worn Odd notions respect- ing it The silk-worm's will, - - 74 EVENING SEVENTH. Death-watch Its appearance and habits Superstitions connected with it Praying Mantis Lizard of the East Folly of superstition, . - 82 EVENING EIGHTH. House cricket Its habits Curious mode of getting rid of them Field cricket Its nest Manner of deposit- ing its eggs Caged crickets Cruelty of keeping birds in cages Mole cricket, - - 89 CONTENTS. V EVENING NINTH. American locusts A captive liberated Seventeen years locust Released from its nympha state Its music Vast numbers Manner of depositing eggs The young locusts enter the ground Afford food for various animals A greedy duck Locusts eaten by Indians Young locusts as seen through a micro- scope. - 99 EVENING TENTH. African locust Cells under ground Ravages of locusts Vast numbers Travellers' stories Manner of cooking locusts, - - 108 EVENING ELEVENTH. Flea, as seen through the microscope Its strength and agility Fleas harnessed to miniature carriages Tropical sand fleas The deserted wigwam, - 125 EVENING TWELFTH. Musquito Egg boats Larva Chrysalis Perilous voyage Description of the sucker Column of mus- quitoes, - 135 EVENING THIRTEENTH. Hive-bees Queen-bee Drone Worker Secreting wax Nurse-bees Building of the cells Collecting propolis and pollen Arrival at the hive Varnish- ing the cells Bees feeding the laborers Getting rid of intruders Royal, drone, and workers cells, - 143 VI CONTENTS. EVENING FOURTEENTH. Attachment of bees to their queen Royal grubs A new queen Anecdotes, - 155 EVENING FIFTEENTH. Swarming of bees Preparations for departure The drones killed Examination of the bee's sting Wild honey bees of Gaudaloupe Of Brazil Of Yucatan Honey guide, * 165 EVENING SIXTEENTH. Humble-bee Its nest Economy of the household Getting rid of mites Carpenter-bee Its nest Stor- ing up bee-bread Nest of the mason-bee Nest of the upholsterer-bee Rose-leaf cutter A supersti- tious gardener, -'174 EVENING SEVENTEENTH. Female wasp selecting a place for a nest Underground passage The wasp the first paper maker Substances used before the introduction of paper The wasp's paper Making the nest Affection for the young They assist their mother Male wasps Anecdote of a wasp Mason- wasp Carpenter-wasp, 185 EVENING EIGHTEENTH. Prejudice against spiders Description of spinnerets House spider weaving its web Sly retreat Insects live upon each other Garden spider A favorite Spider crossing the water Old spiders, . - 198 CONTENTS. Vll EVENING NINETEENTH. Maternal affection of spiders Water spiders Raft building spiders Trap-door spider South American bird-destroying spider Pet spiders Anecdote of Robert Bruce, - - - . -212 EVENING TWENTIETH. Katy.did Musical instruments House-fly Its wings Proboscis Structure of the feet Aphides Variety of color Peculiarity of the eggs White blight Grails Fire-fly Tropical fire.flies Curi- ous account of them Fire-flies mistaken for Spa. niards Used instead of candles Glow worm Lan- tern fly Electric centipede Luminous appearance of the ocean Conclusion, .... 224 PREFACE. In offering to my friends a little book, written under cir- cumstances of peculiar disadvantage, I feel that justice to rflyself requires an explanation of these circumstances, and that this explanation will sufficiently account for my having conceived the idea of writing a book at all. Confined to my bed with a painful disease, and suffering from an affection of the eyes which rendered me incapable of reading, writing or doing any thing which requires fixed sight, idleness became almost insupportable; I longed for something to do ; something which would pleasantly and profitably occupy my time, and divert my thoughts from bodily suffering. But my situation seemed to cut off every resource. At length I procured an indented card upon which I learned to write with closed or bandaged eyes; and rejoicing in this newly acquired sense, for such it seemed to me, I was anxious to turn it to advantage. From childhood I have been interested in insects. In their infinite variety and exceeding beauty ; in the admirable construction even of the most minute among them ; and in the operations of their instinct, they manifest in a peculiarly interesting manner, the power and goodness of the Crea- tor. " If you speak of a fly, a gnat or a bee," says Basil, "your conversation .will be a sort of demonstration of His power whose hand formed them ; for the wisdom of the Vi. PREFACE. workman is commonly perceived in that which is of little size. He who has stretched out the heavens, and dug up the bottom of the sea, is also He who has pierced a passage through the sting of the bee, for the ejection of its poi- son." With the view of impressing these truths, and exciting an interest, which would induce them to inquire further, I commenced my little stories about insects for the benefit of my nieces, and the children of some of my friends. When the manuscript was nearly completed, I was induced to show it to two or three scientific friends, who encouraged me to give it a wider circulation. This I have concluded to flo, although well aware of its many imperfections. The difficulty of writing as I do, can scarcely be conceiv- ed by those who have not tried it. We commonly read as we write; and sight is almost indispensable to facility of expression, and the proper arrangement of subjects. A bandage over the eyes, seems to obscure the mental, as well as the physical vision we forget what we have said, and what we intended to say, and are liable to continual omissions and repetitions. Had I been differently situated, I might have written more interestingly ; but, under the circum- stances, I have done the best I could. I have thought it better to give a pretty full history of a few insects, than to embrace a larger number, and say but little of each; and I have preferred those which are most common, and can be most readily observed, although I have not confined myself to the species which are indigenous. I have avoided the use of scientific terms, where they did not appear absolutely necessary, not wishing to puzzle children with hard names, which they would not be likely to remem- ber. I shall be truly thankful if my little book has the effect PREFACE Vll. to discourage that cruelty to insects in which children are so apt to indulge ; but if it does no further good, it has already fulfilled an important part of its mission. It has made many an hour pass pleasantly, which might otherwise have been tedious, and almost caused me to forget at times that I was confined within the four walls of my chamber, It has car- ried me into the fields and woods, and renewed my admira- tion of the wonderful works of the Creator ; and I have re- joiced in the conviction that He, who has so carefully pro- vided for the wants of each helpless little insect, and con- descended to become its teacher, will never fail to support and instruct those, who, although gifted with a higher order of intelligence, are equally dependant upon Him, both for strength and wisdom. LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD, EVENING FIRST. INSECTS IN GENERAL. Mary. It will be just twenty-four days until the end of this month, and then we shall have spring. I am afraid it will seem like twenty- four weeks to me ; how I wish it was over ! Aunt Mary. Time passes quite swiftly enough, my dear child ; and if we are pleasantly and usefully employed, and are careful thate very day should be marked by some good action, it will not be very tedious to us. But what is to be done when spring comes ? Unless the wea- ther should be very warm, it may be many more 10 LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. than twenty-four days before we shall see green fields and sweet flowers again. Mary. Oh, I was not thinking of fields and flowers just now. rfunt M. What then ? Mary. Little Jane Wilson has been talking to Anna and me about the ants, and says she is very fond of watching them at their work ; and has told us some things which seem so strange, I could hardly have believed them, only I know she is a very good little girl, and would not say any thing that is not quite true. Jane says they will not begin to work again until warm weather comes, and then we are going to watch them together, clearing out their little houses under ground, and carrying up one grain of sand at a time, and throwing it on the heap around their holes. Jlnna. Jane told us she had sometimes seen an ant trying to drag a dead fly towards its nest, but 'finding it too heavy, it went back and brought a number of its friends to help it. She says she is sure insects talk to each other, Jiunt M. I think there can be no doubt that all animals have a way of communicating with LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD, 11 each other ; a language of their own, which they perfectly understand, and which not only enables them to assist each other in their labors, but pro- bably adds greatly to their enjoyment. Our Heavenly Father has provided for the wants, the comfort, and the happiness of every creature he has made the smallest and most feeble, as well as the largest and most powerful; and while I shall be rejoiced to see my dear little girls interested in the examination of any of his wonderful works, I shall be particularly pleased to have their attention directed to the ingenious little insects which are almost every where to be found ; because, while we observe with in- terest the larger objects which surround us, while we admire the beasts, birds, and beautiful flowers, these little creatures creeping about upon the ground, although equally worthy of our attention, and showing forth, as much as any other class of living beings, the power and goodness of God, are too apt to be overlooked, or carelessly, arid often cruelly, trodden under foot. Some of these, particularly in warm countries, are exceedingly beautiful. If the insect understood such things, it might 12 LIFE IN THK INSECT WORLD. well laugh at the pride we take in our bright carpets and richly colored dresses, and spread out before us its own little wings, far more beau- tifully painted than them all. Some insects are of the brightest green, some look like gold, others like silver, some are cover- ed with the finest and most silky hair, and you probably know that all the furze on the wing of a butterfly is found, when examined through a microscope, to be composed of the most deli- cate feathery scales. Their forms, too, are as various, and often as beautiful, as their colors; and although upwards of one hundred and fifty thousand different spe- cies or kinds of insects have been discovered, and many of them are so small that they cannot be seen without the aid of a microscope, yet each is perfect in all its parts, and admirably calculated for the station it is to occupy, and the duties it has to perform, in the creation. Their singular habits, too, the many curious contrivances they resort to for the promotion of their own comfort and safety, and their provision for the wants of their young, are still more cal- culated to fill us with wonder and admiration. LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 13 As we may still have an hour to talk, I should like to tell you something more about these won- derful little creatures ; but, in the first place, I must explain to you what an insect is. Harriet. Oh, Aunt Mary, we all know what insects are. Aunt M. What are they, then ? Harriet. Flies, spiders, ants, bees, and all such little animals are insects. Aunt M. Not quite right. You have men- tioned the names of a few insects, but even there you are a little out of the way ; for the spider, although very similar in most respects, cannot properly be called an insect. . Mary. Spiders not insects ! that is very queer. What is the reason they are not ? Aunt M. I will tell you what distinguishes insects from other animals, and you will then see why the spider cannot be classed among them. The word Insect means cut into, and is only properly applied to those animals which have in their backs two deep cuts, separating the body into three distinct parts: the head, the thorax, or chest, and the abdomen, as perhaps you have 2* 14 LIFE IN THE INSECT WOULD. noticed in the fly, the bee, the beetle, the grass- hopper, and others. The spider has but one of these cuts, consequently but two of these di- visions, and for this and other reasons, which I shall explain presently, it cannot properly bo called an insect. JRenee. Then caterpillars cannot be insects, for they have not these divisions. JLunt M. Caterpillars are in their infancy, and have to pass through many changes before they arrive at their perfect state ; but when they become butterflies and moths, they all have these three distinct divisions. The whole animal kingdom, by which I mean every thing which possesses animal life, is separa- ted, by some naturalists, into two great divisions, called vertebrated and invertebrated animals. Vertebrated animals are those whose bodies are supported on a frame of bone, including a spine, or back-bone, and ribs. In this division are included men, beasts, birds, reptiles, and fishes. Invertebrated animals are without this frame of bones, and their bodies are soft; some of them are covered with a hard shell, or horny skin, to LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 15 protect them from injury, but others are with- out even this defence. The whole tribe of in- sects is included in this division. Insects are also called articulated animals, can you tell me what articulated means ? Harriet. Articulated means jointed does it not? ftunt M. Yes ; and they are called articu- lated, because, though without any regular sys- tem of bones, they are composed of many jointed parts. Vertebrated animals breathe through the mouth by means either of lungs or of gills ; in- sects are without these, but have in their place little breathing tubes, placed along the sides, the openings of which are called spiracles. All insects, when they arrive at maturity, have six legs ; although caterpillars, which, as I have told you, are still only in their youth, are provided with sixteen little members which serve the purpose of legs, and are very impor- tant to them, by enabling them to cling to the tree or leaf to which they have attached them- selves, and to climb up fences and bushes. The eyes of insects are very remarkable. You 16 LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. know that animals, generally, have but two eyes, andean only look in one direction at a. time; but it is necessary that insects, in order that they may be able to catch their prey, and make their escape on the approach of danger, should see in every direction at once, and they have been accordingly provided, not with two single eyes, but with a collection of eyes ; that is, their eyes are furnished with a great number of little lenses, through each of which they can see as through a perfect eye, and by means of which they are able to look in all directions, before, behind, above, and below them, without being obliged to turn their bodies. The butterfly has thirty-five thousand of these lenses in its two eyes, which, when examined through a microscope, appear like a diamond beautifully cut on all sides. I have read of a naturalist, named Puget, who took out the eye of a flea, and placing it in his microscope, looked through the microscope, and through the eye, at a soldier who was before him ; but instead of seeing but one soldier, he saw what appeared to be a whole army of little soldiers, and the flame of a candle looked like LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 17 thousands of lamps. Do you understand how that could be ? fiene6. Yes; but the idea of looking through the eye of a flea ! Why, a flea is so small that you can scarcely see its whole body. Jlunt M. So it is ; but you know a micro- scope makes things appear much larger than they really are. Rene6. How was it, then, that the soldiers appeared so small. Aunt M. The lenses of the eye have quite a contrary effect from the microscope ; for while they multiply the object, they lessen its size. And now that I have told you of some of the distinctions between insects and other animals, I can make you understand more clearly why the spider is not ranked among them. Instead of six legs, it has eight ; instead of the two compound eyes I have described to you, it has eight single ones in different parts of its head ; and instead of the spiracles, it breathes through leaf-shaped gills. Mary. Aunt Mary, what are those little IS LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. things which look like horns, that I have often noticed on the heads of insects ? Jlunt M. Those are their feelers, or anten- nae, as they are called. They are hollow and jointed, and extremely sensitive, and are used by insects for many purposes ; but are particularly useful in enabling them to feel their way as they travel from place to place. Many insects are also furnished with a pro- boscis, or trunk, with which they obtain food ; differently formed to suit their various wants. In those which suck the juices of plants and animals, this proboscis is hard and sharp ; while in the butterfly it is long enough to reach to the bottom of a flower, to drink the nectar it con- tains, and capable of being rolled up to keep it out of the way when the insect is not feed- ing. The proboscis of the common house-fly has at the end a sort of lip, with which it can readily take up sugar, molasses, milk, or any thing else suited to its taste. The changes through which insects have to pass before they arrive at their perfect state, are so curious and wonderful that I should like to LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 19 give you some account of them ; but I shall not have time now. Harriet. Let us come to-morrow evening, then. I am beginning to feel quite an interest in the little creatures, and should like to know something more about them. Aunt M. Very well ; I shall be glad to see you. 20 LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. EVENING SECOND. TRANSFORMATIONS OF INSECTS. Jlunt M. Nature is full of wonders ; the most astonishing changes are constantly going on around us: and just because they are con- stantly going on ; because the sun rises every morning and sets every evening, and the stars shine nightly above our heads; because the plants come up every spring from the seed which has been sown in the earth, and put forth their beautiful leaves and blossoms ; and because animals may always be seen around us ; they often cease to excite our admiration and our gratitude. But I do not wish that this should be the case with you. I want that your eyes should be open to perceive the wonders and LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 21 beauties of creation, and instead of feeling in- clined to pass by any object merely because it is common, you should, on that very account, be disposed to examine it more closely. If you do this, you will find wonders where you least expected them, and will be continually supplied with sources of innocent gratification. Kirby and Spence, in an interesting work writ- ten upon insects, say: " Were a naturalist to announce to the world, the discovery of an animal which, for the first five years of its life, existed in the form of a serpent ; which then, penetrating into the earth and weaving a shroud of pure silk of the finest texture, contracted itself within this covering into a body without external mouth or limbs, and resembling, more than any thing else, an Egyp- tian mummy ; and which lastly, after remain- ing in this state, without food and without mo- tion, for three years longer, should, at the end of that period, burst its silken cerements, strug- gle through its earthy covering, and start into day, a winged bird, what, think yon, would be the sensation excited by this intelli- gence?" 3 22 LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. Yet these changes are constantly going on in the insect world. From the egg deposited by the butterfly, moth, or other insect, a worm is hatched, entirely different in appearance and habits from its parent, or the animal it is itself afterwards to become. These worms are called larvae, which is the Latin name for mask, because they contain in them all the organs of the perfect insect, under the appearance, or mask, of a worm. I want you to try to remember these terms ; because, if you should hereafter read books upon insects, as I hope you will, you will constantly meet with them, and if you do not understand them, you can scarcely tell what you are reading about. The larvas spend most of their lives in eating, and subsist chiefly upon the leaves of plants. Their bodies are covered with several layers of skin, and, as they increase in size, the outer one becomes too small, and the worm bursts it open and crawls out of it, leaving it behind as a worn out garment. After a while, the second skin also becomes too small, and is cast off in the same manner j and in this way the different LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 23 kinds of larvae change their skins a number of times before they attain their full size. When the time has arrived for them to un- dergo another important change, they leave off eating and commence their preparations. These preparations are as various as the worms are different: some descend into the earth, where they remain several years before they acquire wings; some weave a silken web, in which they wrap themselves as in a shroud ; some make their covering of dried leaves; while, with others, the last skin becomes hard and tough, and encloses them as in a case. In this state they are called Pupse, Jlurelias, or Chrysalides. Most Chrysalides are ap- parently dead, neither moving nor eating; but others both move and eat. These are called Nymphs. When the proper period has arrived for them to escape from their confinement, they burst the case which covers them, and come forth, no longer crawling worms, but beautiful winged insects, with new wants, new pleasures, and a new life. The insect is now called an Imago, (which is the Latin name for image,) because, 24 LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. having thrown off its mask, it has become a per- fect image of its species. Most insects, in their perfect state, eat but little, and do not increase in size. Some live but a few days after they have acquired wings ; some a few weeks, some a year, and others longer. Those which live through the year, generally pass the winter in a state of torpor or apparent sleep. Ants retire to the bottom of their nests, and there remain, sluggish and sleepy enough, until revived by the warm airs of spring. You know that insects lay their eggs in the summer, and that they are not hatched until the following spring ; and although the mother has never felt the cold herself, and the eggs are ge- nerally laid in the hottest part of the season, she is always careful to protect them against the storms and frosts of winter. They are generally deposited upon the twigs and branches of trees, and sometimes upon walls and fences, to which they are firmly glued with a sort of cement which insects have the power of producing, and are frequently covered with a coating of the same substance, which serves the purpose of water-proof varnish. LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 25 Several kinds of moths cover their eggs with down taken from their own bodies. The cochineal insect lays her eggs under her, glues herself fast to them, and dies, making her own body a shelter for her eggs ; while another insect covers hers with the pupa case from which she has just escaped. How do you think the insect knows that all these precautions are necessary to defend her eggs from storms and frosts she never felt? Rene&. God taught her. Jlunt M. Yes ; God taught her, and she has obeyed his teaching ; and shall we despise or wantonly kill the little insect over which HE so carefully watches ? I hope not. Insects are very useful to man. The bee gives us its delicious honey ; the silk-worm supplies us with silk ; and in the body of the cochineal insect is contained the beautiful color of which the paint called carmine is made: it is also used in dyeing, and in the preparation of several kinds of medicine. These insects are considered so valuable, that the plants upon which they feed are carefully cultivated, and at 3* 26 LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. the proper season, they are taken off, killed, dried, and sent to different parts of the world. The nest of the gall-fly forms the principal ingredient of which ink is made ; and the Span- ish fly (so called because it abounds in Spain) is used in making blistering ointment. Anna. I have noticed little bright green specks in the blistering ointment ; are they the flies? Aunt M. Yes, they are the flies ground to powder; their color is beautiful, but they have a disagreeable smell. There are other and more important uses of insects, of which I may tell you at a future time, if you agree to the proposal I am about to make you. Anna. What is that, Aunt Mary ! Aunt M. I have been telling you of insects in general ; of the way in which they are formed, &c.; and although these things are very impor- tant to be known, they are not likely to be as interesting to children as accounts of their habits and modes of living. Now, if you think you would like to hear it, I shall be glad to spend a part of each evening, when I am not otherwise LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 27 engaged, in giving you the history of some of those which we are in the habit of seeing every day, as the ant, the butterfly, and so on. Harriet. I am sure we shall be delighted to hear it. JReneS. That we shall. May we come to- morrow evening ? Aunt M. I do not know of any thing to prevent. What would you like me to begin with ? Mary. Oh, the ant begin with the ants. Aunt M. Very well, we will begin with the ants. But it is time to go to bed now ; so good night. 28 LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD, EVENING THIKD. ANTS. Harriet. Here we are, Aunt Mary ; lessons finished, books put away, and all ready to hear about the ants. Jlunt M. That is right, business first and pleasure afterwards. I am glad to see you. I have always felt a particular interest in ants. There were a number of ant-hills in our school- house yard, and when I was quite a little girl, I used to take much pleasure in watching them, and was greatly distressed when any of my mis- chievous school mates kicked them over for the purpose of teasing me. I thought how the poor ants must be dismayed when they found a shower of sand coming down upon them, and saw thus destroyed in a moment the patient la- bor of many days. There were two or three of these hills to which LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 29 I had taken a particular fancy, and considered especially my own. Every day I watched my little favorites, until I had learned to regard them with a sort of motherly affection. I fre- quently carried cake and sugar with me from home, which I scattered sparingly around their habitations. One morning I filled my little paper with sugar, concluding my friends should have a generous treat. I strewed it thickly over the pavement, and soon had the satisfaction of seeing the whole swarm of ants partaking of the delicious food. After remaining with them as long as I could, I left them still enjoying their feast. The next morning I started full of interest to see how they fared after their repast; when lo! what was my consternation, on approaching the hills, to find them still covered and surrounded, not with living, eating ants, but with the dead bodies of my little favorites, increased to nearly twice their natural size. The greedy little beings had stuffed themselves to death, and I was the cause of all this mischief. ,1 believe I never fed an ant afterward. I was always much interested in observing the ants meet each other as they passed to and 30 LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. from their habitations. I noticed that they al- ways stopped and touched together their anten- noe, as if they were saying, " How do you do, this morning ?" Sometimes I have seen two long lines of ants meet, who were marching in regular order, (I suppose in search of food,) when each one would successively stop, courteously salute his neighbor, fall again into the line with his com- panions, and march on as before. But I should have been still more interested had I known as much about them as I have since learned. Ants always live in families ; and if you are surprised at the understanding they display by going, at the request of one of their companions, to assist in conveying the dead fly to their nest, how greatly would your astonishment be in- creased if you could see the interior of one of their habitations. Naturalists have taken great pains in the ex- amination of these, by carefully removing the earth which covered them, and have found them, not great holes, as you might suppose, but regu- larly and neatly built dwellings, consisting of LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 31 separate rooms of different sizes, communicating with each other by passages or entries, and often many stories in height. In making these, the ants scrape the earth from the bottom of their nests, and so fasten the particles together, by pressing against them with their feet, as to form solid walls. They prefer working when the earth is moist, so that it can be readily moulded, arid will easily adhere ; and often take advantage of a light shower to carry on their building, which is afterward dried and hardened by the heat of the sun. A celebrated naturalist, named Huber, gives an interesting account of the proceedings of a family of little brown ants adding a new story to their dwelling. A light shower was falling, when he saw a number of these little creatures come up out of their nest and look around them. They imme- diately descended, and each bringing a little lump of earth in its mouth, they commenced their operations. He sat quietly by them for several hours, and saw them raise regular co- lumns and walls at different distances from each other, forming large and small rooms, and wide 32 LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. and narrow entries, after which the whole was skilfully covered with a sloping roof. The form and size of these dwellings differ with different kinds of ants. The nests of the wood ants are very large and strongly built, containing many separate stories, some very deep in the ground, and others a considerable height above it ; the lower, intended to receive the young in cold weather and at night, and the upper, for their use in the day-time. I have frequently seen the nests of a species of wood ant in the pine woods in the southern part of New Jersey, which were from two to three feet in height. The ants themselves were nearly a quarter of an inch in length. It is believed that some kinds of ants work both day and night, requiring no rest but that which they get through the winter ; but the wood ants and some others retire in the evening to their inner rooms, and close the hole in the top of the nest; always, however, leaving two or three of their number to stand without as guard. Every family of ants is composed of a King and Queen, the soldiers, and the workers ; so LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 33 called because they are always observed to per- form these separate offices in the family. Renee. How do they know the difference between them, Aunt Mary ? all ants look alike to me. Jlunt M. If you examine them closely, you will find that there is considerable difference in their form ; but a very important distinction between them is, that all of them, except the workers, come out of their pupa cases winged insects ; but after one or two flights in the air, they shed their wings, and are afterwards satis- fied to travel only upon land, and perform their part in the management of their little home. The queen ant is the mother of the whole tribe, and both she and her royal husband ap- pear to be waited upon by their numerous chil- dren with the greatest possible kindness and respect. A large room is always provided solely for their accommodation, which they never leave, and a large body of soldiers and workers are constantly in attendance upon them. These dutiful children manifest the greatest affection for their queen mother ; sometimes crawling gently over her, and sometimes seem- 4 34 LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. ing to caress her with their antennae, and at others standing on their hind feet, frisking about her in the liveliest manner. If an ant hill is attacked, all the passages and galleries leading to the royal chamber are im- mediately filled, and it is said the faithful little creatures will die under its walls, rather than suffer it to be entered by an enemy. The workers build the houses and procure the food ; while the soldiers guard the hills or nests from the attacks of neighboring ants and other insects. As soon as the eggs of the queen are laid, the workers take them and place them in rooms or cells built for their reception ; and when they are hatched, feed them constantly until they are able to take care of themselves. In that care and tenderness for their young which is common to all created beings, insects are by no means deficient; and although it would be impossible for the ant-mother to attend to the wants of her many thousand little ones, her kind and faithful attendants perform this duty so cheerfully and affectionately, that she has no need to feel any anxiety on their ac- count. I will relate to you an anecdote which will LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 35 show the strength of their attachment to the young which have been confided to their care. An ant hill had been broken open, and the inhabitants were seen eagerly seizing certain little white substances, (their young ones,) and hurrying with them to a place of safety. A gentleman who was watching them, cut one of the ants in two. We should suppose that it would immediately have dropped its burden, and forgotten every thing but its own suffer- ings ; but instead of this, it contrived, with the remaining half of its body, to carry ten of the young ones to the inside of the nest before it laid down to die. The nests of ants have sometimes been dis- turbed, and grains of salt mixed with the eggs, in order to prove whether hey would be able to distinguish them from any other white substance. But the little creatures were not to be deceived, and as soon as they were again left to them- selves, they went actively to work, picked out the salt, threw it aside, and arranged the eggs as before. After they are hatched, they require feeding several times a day. The manner of doing this is very curious: the old ants swallow the food, 36 LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. and then throw it up from their stomachs into the mouths of the young ones. Harriet. Oh, that is too disgusting ! I had no idea that any animals fed their young in that way. Aunt M. No doubt it tastes very good to them, as it appears that this mode of feeding is not altogether confined to the young. Huber says that he once followed a party of the large wood ants, which he found a consider- able distance from their habitation. As they approached the ant hill, several of their com- panions met them, who probably supposing them to be hungry after their journey, and being themselves well supplied with food, gave it to them in this way. But I have something to tell you, stranger, even, than this. Do you know that ants have cows ? Mary. Ants have cows? Oh, how funny ! Jiunt M. Funny enough ; but nevertheless true ; and these cows are those little green in- sects commonly called plant lice, which we may see at any time clustered together upon the ten- der stalks of rose bushes and many other plants. Their proper name is Aphides. It is said they even hold these insects as property. LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 37 They are thrown into great consternation if they see an ant, belonging to another nest, at- tempting to climb the stalk of a plant covered with the insect cows which they consider espe- cially their own, and drive him off with little ceremony. Some kinds of ants carry large numbers of these insects to their nest, and let them feed on the stalks and plants around it ; while others secure them in a pen, by building a wall around the place where they are kept. They take the entire charge of their eggs, put- ting them in a place of safety when the nest is attacked, and carrying them out in warm, dry weather, that they may be early hatched by the heat of the sun; thus absolutely rearing the cat- tle which afford them so large a supply of good and wholesome food. A naturalist tells us that one day, as he was looking at a plant covered with these little Aphides, he saw an ant creeping up the stalk. He was at once interested, and carefully watch- ing its motions, observed that it passed several of the insects without disturbing them. At length it stopped, and tapping one of them on each side with its antennae, the gentlemen ob- 4* 38 LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. served a drop of fluid issue from its body, which the ant immediately drank. It then went to a large one, which it tapped in the same way, and which yielded a larger drop than the first ; then to a third, and so on, until it had thus tap- ped and drunk from seven or eight of its tiny cows, when it appeared to have satisfied its hunger. This fluid is the honey dew which the insect obtains from the plant on which it feeds. Ants have the power of throwing from their bodies a very strong smell, which, it is supposed, greatly assists them in finding their way back to their nests, after the long journies which they sometimes make in search of food. It is believed they scent the track, and return by the same road over which they came. Although ants appear to live in much har- mony in their own families, they defend them- selves vigorously when attacked, biting severely, and throwing poison into the wound. Most insects have been provided by their Creator with some means of self-defence. They are not capable of reasoning with each other as we are ; and as they are constantly liable to meet with injuries from which they could not be otherwise LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD^ 39 protected, they have been permitted to follow those instincts of their nature which lead them to defend themselves, even at the risk of injur- ing others. But we are very differently situated. Upon us alone has our Heavenly Father bestowed the higher powers of reason; we alone have been created in his own image : that is, he has given to us many of those good feelings and disposi- tions which constitute his own nature ; and he asks that we should exercise these; that we should manifest our affection and gratitude to him by our kindness to the beings he has cre- ated ; and that, instead of feeling disposed to return injury for injury, we should love our enemies, do good to them that hate us, and pray for them that despitefully use us and per- secute us. Let our means of defence consist in continual acts of kindness and of love ; let us always endeavor to " overcome evil with good." It is nearly bed time, but, before you go, I will relate to you an anecdote, which will illus- trate what I have told you of the soldiers and workers in ant hill? always attending solely to 40 LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. their own business, without interfering with, or even understanding, that of the others. Huber says, that he once took from the nest of the large wood ant about thirty or forty of the soldiers, with a considerable number of eggs, and put them into a garden vase, the bottom of which was covered with earth ; he placed a little honey in one corner, and covered the top with glass. The poor ants wandered about without seem- ing to know what to do, either with themselves or the eggs ; they did not even attempt to dig out a dwelling, scarcely tasted the food, and, at the end of two days, about half of them were dead. He then threw in one of the workers, which he had taken from the same nest. The poor soldiers manifested their pleasure at seeing their companion by gathering around it, and ca- ressing it with their antennae. It immediately went to work, made for them a habitation in the earth, took charge of and properly arranged the eggs, arid induced its companions to eat the food prepared for them. Thus the lives of fifteen or twenty were saved by the exertions of a single ant. LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 41 A traveller in South America says, that there are a kind of ants in Brazil which travel in large companies, and make a regular journey through the country every year, giving notice of their coming by the rustling of the dried leaves over which they pass. It is a common practice with many of the inhabitants to leave their houses on their approach. The ants enter them, and after effectually clearing them of rats, mice, roaches, and all other annoying little animals, start off again upon their march. Another kind of ants, also found in South America, make their nests of green leaves, and may be seen marching in long lines, each carry- ing in its mouth a piece of leaf large enough to cover it, as if to screen it from the sun. From this circumstance, they have sometimes been called the Parasol ants. As these processions of ants move along, the path, for three or four inches in width, is often perfectly green with them. They make their nests, which are sometimes as large as a hogs- head, in the branches of trees. Here they rear their young and pass the winter ; but preferring life and liberty in the open air, spend the sum- mer ranging about the woods. 42 LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. I want to give you an account of the White ants, or Termites, as they are called, which are found in Africa and some other warm countries ; but we must leave it until another evening. LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 43 EVENING FOURTH. WHITE ANTS, OR TERMITES. Jlunt M. You have been surprised at what I have already told you of the buildings of ants, but those of the Termites far exceed any others in size, strength, and workmanship. Indeed, these little creatures are the greatest builders in the world. They are from a quarter to half an inch in length, and their hills are generally from ten to twelve feet high, and so hard on the top that several men can stand on them without break- ing them. A celebrated traveller tells us, that he once saw a number of these hills which were from fifteen to twenty feet in height. Think of an 44 LIFE IN THE INSECT WOULD. ant, a quarter of an inch long, raising a building three times as high as a man. Harriet. That is wonderful. Aunt M. Yes; their buildings are more than five hundred times their own height. Rene6. Aunt Mary, if a man could build a house five hundred times as high as himself, how high would it be ? Aunt M. It would be more than half a mile high ; four or five times the height of the Pyra- mids of Egypt. Anna. Such a house could not be built, could it? or, if it could, it would tumble down. Aunt M. Such a house never has been, and probably never can be, built; and yet these little Termites, with no other tools than their own jaws and feet, raise buildings as high in propor- tion to their size as a house a mile high would be to that of a man. Some of these buildings have forty or fifty stories, each containing many separate rooms, connected by entries; the principal of which communicate with other rooms under ground, and are often carried to the distance of several feet from the hill. LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 45 Here are regular rows of columns and arches ; the royal chamber, with the rooms of the atten- dants around it ; the store-rooms which are al- ways well stocked with provisions ; the nurse- ries, for the accommodation of the young, and many other rooms used for various purposes. Renee. What kind of provision have they in the store-rooms, Aunt Mary ? Flies and so on? Jlunt M. No. Although the Termites will eat almost any thing, they prefer vegetable food, and that which they store away has been found to consist principally of the gum of trees. It is singular, that, while all the rest of the dwelling is of earth, the room used as a nursery is made of pieces of wood fastened together, and nicely lined with clay. To and from this nur- sery some of the faithful workers, are almost continually travelling ; first carrying the eggs of the queen, (which, you may suppose, requires no small labor, when I tell you that eighty thousand have sometimes been laid in twenty- four hours,) and afterward feeding the young, who, as soon as they are old enough to leave 5 46 LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. the nursery, are taken out and, it is said, are shown through the numerous rooms and galle- ries of their great building, and instructed in their employments. They pass from one room to another by means of sloping roads, which serve the purpose of stairs. Experiments have frequently been made upon these ant hills by striking upon them with a stick, and breaking off a part of them; when a soldier ant immediately appears at one of the openings, walks rapidly over the hill, as if to ascertain the extent of the danger, and then retires to give the alarm, whereupon a large number of soldiers issue from the numerous holes with which the building is perforated, and stand ready to defend their home. If, at this time, they come in contact with the hands or feet of the person who has thus injured them, they will bite severely, and will sometimes suffer themselves to be torn limb from limb, be- fore they are willing to let go their hold. If, however, he retires to a little distance from the hill, and remains quiet for about half an hour, they suppose the enemy has left them, and re- turn into the nest ; the workers then come out, LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 47 each carrying a particle of earth in its mouth, and commence repairing the breach. Although thousands are thus employed at the same time, constantly passing and re-passing each other, no confusion appears amongst them all is industry and order. One of the soldiers atone remains, who walks leisurely around, without taking any part in the labor ; but occa- sionally raising his head, he strikes with his pincers upon the new work, and makes a noise so loud that it may be heard at the distance of several feet from the hill. At this sound, the laborers are always observed to increase their diligence. If, while all is thus quietly going for ward, the person who is watching again strikes upon the hill, the scene immediately changes. The workers vanish through the passages and galleries, and the soldiers take their places. When all is again quiet, the soldiers retire, and the la- borers return, laden as before, and if permitted to remain undisturbed, continue their work un- til it is completed. These little insects often do much mischief by getting into houses and ware-houses, sometimes destroying all the wood work in a single night : but a very curious part of it is, that (having a par- 48 LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. ticular dislike to eating in the light) they hollow out only the inside of the wood, while the out- side appears to be untouched, hut will crumble to pieces with the slightest blow, being often no thicker than a sheet of pasteboard. They dig long galleries under ground, from their hills to the neighboring houses, entering them through the floors or the posts that sup- port the roof. They destroy all the books and papers in their way, as well as cloth and linen, boots and shoes, and indeed almost everything except glass and metal. They then travel back through their long galleries, carrying fragments of wood or any thing else they may wish to take home with them. An English lady, who has lately returned from India, where she resided several years, told one of my friends, that when she left Eng- land, she took with her a trunk containing silk and woollen dresses; but she found the climate so warm that she had no use for this clothing, and the trunk remained unopened for several months. At length she concluded to unpack her dresses, and send them as presents to some of her friends in England ; when, what was her astonishment LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 49 upon opening her trunk, to find within nothing but a heap of dust. The white ants had eaten through the wooden bottom, and destroyed every article it contained. Harriet. I was thinking, a few minutes ago, how I should like to see some of these large ant hills, but I am sure I am very glad we have none of them in this country. What troublesome little creatures these ants must be. I do not see what they have been made for. JLunt M. Very troublesome, it is true, but very useful also. Our Heavenly Father has created nothing in vain ; and they, too, are doubtless designed to serve one of those wise and benevolent pur- poses which are to be seen in every part of His great plan. In the countries where the Ter- mites abound, there are very extensive forests, and immediately as a tree falls, (as they fre- quently do from old age,) these little animals attack and soon destroy it ; whereas, if it were suffered to remain long upon the ground in a state of decay, (and in these warm climates ve- getation decays more rapidly than with us,) it would not only render the country unhealthy, 5* 50 LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. but would check the growth of valuable plants. They are particularly fond of wood that is old and dry, or beginning to decay; while they have no relish for healthy, vigorous trees, which do not require to be destroyed. Insects are particularly useful in clearing away all animal and vegetable substances, and have sometimes been called the " Scavengers of Nature." These ants are considered excellent food by some of the African nations. The Hottentots eat them, raw or boiled, and frequently become fat upon them. They bring large kettles full of them to their houses, and sometimes parch them in iron pots over a gentle fire, and in this state, without sauce of any kind, serve them up as a delicious dish ; they are said to taste much like sugar and cream. In the East Indies they catch thorn in large quantities, and make pies of them. You do not appear to be at all tired of my Ant story, but I believe I have now told you as much as I can recollect. Do you think of any- thing else you would particularly like to hear abcut ? LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 51 Jlnna. Tell us about Butterflies, Aunt Mary ; they are so beautiful. ReneS. Oh, yes do tell us about Butterflies. JLunt M. I shall be very glad to tell you about them, but it is now nearly nine o'clock ; so good night. 52 LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. EVENING FIFTH. BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS. Aunt M. Anna says, tell us about butter- flies, they are so beautiful. They are indeed beautiful ; coming with the spring, and hover- ing about among the flowers, looking, as some one says, like flying flowers themselves they delight both children and grown people ; and they may delight us still more if we look at them as another evidence of the kindness of our Hea- venly Father, who has not only given us those animals and vegetables which are really neces- sary to our support, but has filled the earth with beautiful and pleasant things, to please the eye and gratify the taste. He has painted the flowers with the richest colors, and has given them the sweetest smell ; he has covered the f Feathery scales on the wings of the Butterfly greatly magnified. See page 59. 53 LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 55 earth with different shades of green, the color which is better suited to the eye than any other; and he has so beautifully painted the wings of the butterfly, that although we may attempt to imitate, it is impossible for us to equal its richness. Every leaf and every blade of grass is perfect in beauty , the fruit which hangs upon the trees is as beautiful as it is delicious ; the pretty birds sing their cheerful songs; the little insects go flying through the air ; the butterfly flutters about among the flowers ; and every thing in creation seems to say, " Rejoice and be thank- ful be good and be happy." Do you remember what I told you the other evening, about the changes through which in- sects pass ? Harriet. I do. Aunt M. What are they ? Harriet. There is first the egg, and then the worm, and then the chrysalis, and then the in- sect with wings. ftunt M. That is all just right ; but what is the chrysalis ? Harriet. The worm shut up in a case. 56 LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. Jlunt M. Yes; and this case is called its cocoon. But what is the worm called before it is shut up in its case ? Harriet. Oh, I cannot remember that hard name. ftunt M. Can either of you remember what the worm is called ? Renee. It is called larva. rfunt M.. And why is it called larva ? Renee. You told us larva meant a mask, and that the butterfly was inside of the worm ; but I do not understand how that can be. rfunt M. I will tell you. Have you never pulled to pieces a green rose bud, and seen the leaves of the flower closely folded up in it ? Renee. Oh, yes, I have often seen that. Harriet. And so have I. Jiunt M. The green rose bud is as little like the rose as the caterpillar is like the butterfly ; and yet there is the perfect rose folded up inside of it : you may see the same in any other flower bud. Just so the butterfly is concealed within the body of the worm ; but as you cannot see the leaves of the flower until the bud is pretty fully grown, so the butterfly cannot be distinctly LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 57 seen until the caterpillar is nearly prepared for its chrysalis state. Harriet. Do they cut the caterpillar open to see this, Aunt Mary ? rfunt M. The caterpillar is killed and put into boiling water, when the outer skin can be peeled off, and the butterfly, with its wings folded closely to its body, and enclosed in seve- ral thin skins, or membranes, may be distinctly seen. I do not want to tire you by repeating any- thing I have already said ; but as the changes of insects are most conveniently seen in the butter- fly and moth tribe, I should like to give you a more particular description of them. Although, as I have told you, the butterfly lives entirely upon the sweet fluid contained in flowers, the caterpillar, requiring more substan- tial nourishment, eats the leaves and bads of plants ; and directed by that wonderful faculty which the Creator has bestowed in a superior degree upon the lower animals, and which we call instinct, the butterfly never fails to place her eggs upon those plants upon which the fu- ture caterpillar is to feed ; and although the va- 6 58 LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. rious species of butterflies and moths lay their eggs upon very different kinds of plants, they are always those which are best suited to the wants of their young ; and if they are removed from these arid placed upon others, they gene- rally die. The young caterpillar grows rapidly ; and after casting its skin four or five times, in the manner I have already described to you, it ceases to eat, and commences making its co- coon. The different kinds of caterpillars place them- selves in different situations for the purpose of making this curious covering. Some descend into the earth ; some attach their cocoon, which is made of dried leaves or bark, to the boughs of trees ; some suspend themselves by a silken cord, which they fasten around their necks; and others are simply glued to any convenient place. Some kinds of caterpillars remain in this state many months ; while others become perfect in a few weeks. During this time great changes are going on: the different parts of the butterfly become perfect and strong ; the wings are co- LIFE IN THE INSECT WOULD. 59 lored, and the insect acquires new life the caterpillar is changed into the butterfly. When it is prepared to make its escape from its confinement, it destroys the end of the cocoon with an acid with which it is provided, or bursts it open in its struggles to release itself, and comes forth in all its beauty. Renet. I thought butterflies gnawed off the end of the cocoon. Jiunt M. No ; they have nothing to gnaw with. Caterpillars have jaws, or mandibles, as they are called, with which they chew their food ; but as butterflies live altogether upon fluids, they have no need of these. In some cases, where the cocoon is made entirely of silk, the butterfly or moth pushes aside the elastic threads on the end, and works its way out. I have told you that the down upon the wings and body of the butterfly is composed of beau- tiful feathery scales. The forms of these scales or feathers differ in the different species, and even in different parts of the same insect. They are attached, like the feathers of birds, by very minute quills, and lie folded one over the other, like the scales of a fish. It is the color of these 60 LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. feathery scales which forms the beauty of the butterfly ; and when they are rubbed off, the wings are gauze-like and transparent as those of the common fly. Leuwenhoek, who, by means of a powerful microscope, has made many interesting obser- vations and discoveries, counted upwards of four hundred thousand scales upon the wings of the silk worm moth, which, you know, is quite a small insect compared with many of our butterflies. We will now go back to caterpillars, as I want you to know what ingenious little crea- tures they are. All caterpillars have the power of spinning silk from their bodies of different fineness and color, generally white, yellow, black, brown, or gray, which they use for various purposes. If a caterpillar sees a bird approaching, or if it is in danger of being blown off a tree by a gust of wind, it throws out one of these silken threads and drops gently to the ground ; and when the danger is over, it sometimes draws itself up by the same thread, arid takes its place again upon the branch. But the silk is particu- LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 61 iarly useful in making the little tents of leaves in which some of them live, and in spinning their cocoons. Have you ever noticed the caterpillars which draw together or roll up the leaves of the rose bush? Harriet. Oh, yes, I have often seen them ; we have plenty of them in our garden. Anna. And so have I.