An Interesting Family

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Feb 18, 1886

An Interesting Family.

THE insect family seems to be everywhere; they live in the earth, fly in the air, and swim in the water. And their lives are as strange and varied even as those of human beings. They make nurseries for their babies, hunt and fish, and fight to obtain food for themselves and their little ones. And they do all this in very curious ways. There are some things in which all insects are alike.

The word insect comes from the Latin, and means "cut in." The bodies of insects appear to be cut in, or divided into three parts, called the head, thorax, and abdomen. Two delicate little horns grow from the head, called antennae. They are used to feel with, and some people think also to smell with. On each side of the head there is a knob, or projection, which looks like a large eye, but really it is made up of thousands of small eyes joined together, and arranged so that the insect can see in all directions without moving its body. Each little lens is perfect, but cannot be moved about, as our eyes can. The dangers to these little folks are many, and they need to be very watchful to escape the birds, and cats, and other traps set for their destruction.

The thorax is the middle portion of the body. There are always six jointed legs, three on each side of the thorax, and generally two or four wings, but a few insects, however, have only the beginnings or rudiments of wings. The abdomen has usually eleven rings, or segments, although the number is sometimes less.

Insects breathe through minute air tubes which penetrate every part of the body, even the legs, wings, and antennae. These tubes have openings along the sides of the body. The openings are called spiracles, and are fringed with short hairs to keep out particles of dust, and can be opened and closed.

The insect family must have very strong muscles; for they can fly farther and swifter, swim faster, jump higher, and carry and drag heavier burdens, in proportion to their size, than any other animal.

Most insects have three lives, or, rather, each life has three different forms. When the eggs are first hatched, the little creatures are called larvae. This is also a Latin word, and means "masks." The larvae of moths and butterflies are caterpillars; the larvae of beetles are grubs; and those of flies are maggots. You see, at first they do not at all resemble their parents, but seem to be concealing their true natures. Caterpillars, grubs, and maggots eat much and grow rapidly. Their skins cannot stretch, so they burst and tear, and are finally cast off. Caterpillars often have five or six new suits during one period of their lives, bursting one after the other.

After a time caterpillars grow tired of eating, and naturally grow sleepy; then they enclose themselves in cocoons or shells, and this is called the chrysalis or pupa state. Finally there comes a wonderful change, and I wonder

that the clumsy caterpillar recognizes himself when he breaks forth from his chrysalis case, to find that now he has four elegant wings, and can fly instead of crawling; that he has eyes in his head instead of on his sides; that he has six jointed legs instead of sixteen short feet; and that instead of chewing up coarse leaves, he can take honey from the deepest flower-cups by unrolling his long tongue, and thrusting it down into their houses.—Treasure Trove.