“GO TO THE ANT.”

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 378, 9 March 1937, Page 3

“GO TO THE ANT.”

A STARTLING MIRROR

Insects Have Astonishing

Parallels.

There is a world of wisdom in that ancient injunction to “Go to the ant . . . consider her Ways, and be wise”; for Nature, especially in the realm of insects, holds up a startling mirror to the life of mankind; and; if we care to gaze into it, we behold, embodied in the lives of these varied and often tiny creatures, the most astonishing parallels to our own customs, utensils and even to many of our most carefully guarded patents (writrs L. Elgar Pike in "Pearson's Magazine”). In fact ws can often discover that one of our very latest inventions has been in constant use by some animal or insect for countless ages. There

are, too, numerous instances of man having copied his patents direct from Nature’s own.

The housewife will be surprised to find that, when she takes her basket on her arm and hurries down to the shops, she is only doing what the bees have done for thousands of years'. These industrious insects carry a tiny basket on their knee — which they apparently find the most convenient place. While they are collecting their supply of honey they fill this with pollen. Then when they arrive back home they set “to Work with some of the hon'ey and actually knead up the pollen indjo little cakes which we call “bee bread.” And now, here is a tip from the bumble-bee’s kitchen. She takes the empty cocoons of her offspring, varnishes them neatly inside and out, and puts the little pots up on the shelf to hold next season’s store of nectar.

The froghopper is.' possessed of another familiar device which is so handy in the kitchen when there ‘are eggs to be beaten up. This small insect, having attached himself to a nice juicy pla-nt stem, pierces it to mpke the sap flow out, and then v'hlske this up with an admixture of air until he has covered himself completely with the lather whfeu we know as "cuckoo-spit.” Spoons, saws, shears, pliors, cement, are all ancient and Wall-tried inventions' of Nature. The mole cricket, which is so named because of his spade-like forelimbs, which resemlZe those \of that little' animal which works so vigorously under our lawns 1 , is a burrowing insect possessed of a miniature pair of shears. These are used to sever any roots which may be in his way as he digs along through the £?..1. Saws are carried by a number of flies. Tfrey are normally two in number and are used for the very delicate operation of leaf-cutting. Into the slits so made the fly places its eggs. These saws are kept in strong sheaths when not in use, so that the teeth shall not be broken.