A Wonderful Insect.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 31 July 1914, Page 8

A Wonderful Insect.

.» LOOKS LIKE A LITTLE GREEN ELECTRIC LIGHT GLOBE. ! There exists in the tropical countries of America and in the West Indies a. curious species of insect whr-h the natives call "Cocuyos," meaning night light insect. This insect emits a brilliant green light I from each eye and a green light from the under part of the stomach. Same of the natives in Cuba, Mexico and South America use the insect light to read by, placing about fifty of them in a long glass tube or bottle, called a "Cocuyera."_ Another method is to hang the "Cocuyera" over one's bed and then when you want to see the time at night, strike the bottle gently with the hand, when the "Cocuyos" will light up. This insect is quite harmless and inoffensive and can be carried in the hand. If its stomach is gently pressed by forefinger and thumb it will give a light like a small electric torch. These peculiar insects vary in size, but the largest come from the Province of Pinar del Rio, in Cuba, and measure two and a half inches in length by one-half to three-quarter inch in thickness. These give forth a very powerful light. They are black in colour and feed on sweet potatoes, rotten wood and corn cane. I They are easily captured. A boy will light a cigar, and whirling the same in his hand over his head he j makes a noise with his mouth j sounding like r-r-r-r-r-r. In a few I minutes his arm will be entirely • covered with the "cocuyos," taking ■on the aspect of an electric pole of | green light. He then proceeds to i take them off and places them in a | basket, where previously he has j placed a few pieces of corn cane. i Care must be taken to keep the I cocuyos" from eating sugar, for if j they do, their legs drop off, their j brilliant light fades, . and they will die. The "cocuyos" lay their eggs in rotten trees, and sometimes these trees assume a very beautiful aspect, for from a distance they look like a long pole full of glow- | ing little green electric globes, Sometimes they "conceal" their light, | but by gently pressing the stomach the light will flare forth again with renewed strength.