LOVE-MAKING OF INSECTS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10580, 8 October 1910, Page 4 (Supplement)

LOVE-MAKING OF INSECTS.

A professor in one of the colleges of Cambridge announces with confidence (sajs a Boston correspondent of the Evening Standard) that love,'hate, and jealousy play an important part in insect life, and he has seen evidences of these passions m the action of grasshoppers, cricketa, scorpions, 'and buttefflies. The professor, who has learned niucn of insect metho<ls by persistent watching and intrusion upon their privacy, sajs- j Among all insects there are few that are more interesting than the fierce scorpions. The'first advance between the male and female aie offered in a rcmarkaole manner. The male scorpion, having gained the attention of the female, advances towards her with, a sort or sideways, hesitating walk. As the two approach close to each other the walk slows down to a very deliberate advance, until both insects almost touch their heads together. Then, gazing intently into each other's eye, they raise then bodies verstill seeming to gaze intently at each other. They hold this position for several minutes, waving their bodies i high "in _the air. j. After tins sort 'of introduction the insects do a sort oi/promenade, one of the_ most serious features of the, nupjbiarprogramme ' In "connection Tvith the , various aits which insects employ to' attract the, females, there aire spiders which haveone of -the-most'*novel methods. * The male, having selected v his hude, advances'to her, gazes at heri for a moment, and then {begins to execute a weird dance. "He leaps into the airt balances himself jfirsfon his fore and then cm his rearjlegs, and goes through a series of antics, all of which the female regards with great complacency At the end of the dance the spider approaches the female and claims her as his bride. In "the early stages of ' the courtship of insects the males of many varieties are peculiarly warlike. This is true of crickets. At the mating, time male crickets invariably indulge in terrific duels for the possession of a female. Nearly all the duels are fought out in the presence of the desired one, and in true mediaeval fashion, the maiden concealed near by watches the conflict with great interest until the victor conquers and carries her off.