The Beauties of Nature, and the Wonders of the World We Live InLubbock, John, Sir
Philosophy
The Beauties of Nature, and the Wonders of the World We Live In
Lubbock, John, Sir
Astronomy; Natural history; Physical geography
The development, indeed, of an animal from birth to maturity is no mere
question of growth. The metamorphoses of Insects have long excited the
wonder and admiration of all lovers of nature. They depend to a great
extent on the fact that the little creatures quit the egg at an early
stage of development, and lead a different life, so that the external
forces acting on them, are very different from those by which they are
affected when they arrive at maturity. A remarkable case is that of
certain Beetles which are parasitic on Solitary Bees. The young larva is
very active, with six strong legs. It conceals itself in some flower,
and when the Bee comes in search of honey, leaps upon her, but is so
minute as not to be perceived. The Bee constructs her cell, stores it
with honey, and lays her egg. At that moment the little larva quits the
Bee and jumps on to the egg, which she proceeds gradually to devour.
Having finished the egg, she attacks the honey; but under these
circumstances the activity which was at first so necessary has become
useless; the legs which did such good service are no longer required;
and the active slim larva changes into a white fleshy grub, which floats
comfortably in the honey with its mouth just below the surface.
Even in the same group we may find great differences. For instance, in
the family of Insects to which Bees and Wasps belong, some have grub
larvae, such as the Bee and Ant; some have larvae like caterpillars, such
as the Sawflies; and there is a group of minute forms the larvae of which
live inside the eggs of other insects, and present very remarkable and
abnormal forms.
These differences depend mainly on the mode of life and the character of
the food.
RUDIMENTARY ORGANS
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