LESSON LXXI THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY Leading thought-The monarch butterfly migrates northward, every spring and summer, moving up as fast as milkweed appears, so as to give food to its caterpillar; and it has often been noticed migrating back southward in the autumn in large swarms. This insect is distasteful to birds in all its stages. Its chrysalis is one of the most beautiful objects in all nature. Method-This lesson should be given in September, while yet the caterpillars of the monarch may be found feeding upon milkweed, and while there are yet many specimens of this gorgeous butterfly to be seen. The caterpillars may be brought in, on the food plant, and their habits and performances studied in the schoolroom; but care should be taken. not to have the atmosphere too dry. The Butterfly Observations-1. How can you tell the monarch butterfly from all others? What part of the wings is red? What portions are black? What portions are white? What are the colors and markings on the lower side of the wings? What is the color of the body and how is it ornamented? 2. Is the flight of the monarch rapid or slow and leisurely? Is it a very showy insect when flying? Are its colors more brilliant in the sunshine when it is flying than at any other time? Why is it not afraid of birds? 3. When the butterfly alights, how does it hold its wings? Do you think it is as conspicuous when its wings are folded as when they are open? 4. Can you see the butterfly's tongue? Describe the antennæ. How do they differ from the antennæ of moths? How many legs has this butterfly? How does this differ from other insects? Note if you can see any indications of front legs. 5. Is there on the butterfly you are studying, a black spot near one of the veins on each hind wing? Do you know what this is? What is it for? 6. Why are the striking colors of this butterfly a great advantage to it? Do you know of any other butterfly which imitates it and thus gains an advantage? The Monarch Caterpillar I. Where did you find the Monarch caterpillar? Was it feeding below or above on the leaves? Describe how it eats the milkweed leaf. What are the colors and the markings of the caterpillar? Do you think these make it conspicuous? 2. 3. How many whip-lash shaped filaments do you find on the caterpillar? On which segments are they situated? Do these move when the caterpillar walks or when it is disturbed? Of what use are they to the caterpillar? 4. Do you think this caterpillar would feed upon anything except milkweed? Does it rest, when not feeding, upon the upper or the lower surface of the leaves? Does it feed during the night as well as the day? 5. If disturbed, what does the caterpillar do? When it falls down among the grass how do its cross stripes protect it from observation? 6. Tell all the interesting things which you have seen this caterpillar do. The Chrysalis I. 1. When the caterpillar gets ready to change to a chrysalis what does it do? How does it hang up? Describe how it sheds its skin. 2. Describe the chrysalis. What is its color? How and where is ornamented? Can you see, in the chrysalis, those parts which cover the wings of the future butterfly? it 3. To what is the chrysalis attached? Is it in a position where it does not attract attention? How is it attached to the object? 4. After three or four days, how does the chrysalis change in color? Observe, if you can, the butterfly come out from the chrysalis, noting the following points: Where does the chrysalis skin open? How does the butterfly look when it first comes out? How does it act for the first two or three hours? How does the empty chrysalis skin look? A BUTTERFLY AT SEA Far out at sea-the sun was high, While veered the wind and flapped the sail; Far out at sea. The little wanderer, who had lost His way, of danger nothing knew; Settled a while upon the mast; Then fluttered o'er the waters blue Above, there gleamed the boundless sky; The tiny soul that soared away, Seeking the clouds on fragile wings, Lured by the brighter, purer ray Which hope's ecstatic morning brings- Away he sped, with shimmering glee, Scarce seen, now lost, yet onward borne! He dies, unlike his mates, I ween, Perhaps not sooner or worse crossed; -R. H. HORNE. ANY times during autumn, the children find and bring in the very noticeable caterpillar which they call the "woolly bear." It seems to them a companion of the road and the sunshine; it usually seems in a hurry, and if the children know that it is thus hastening to secure some safe place in which to hide during the season of cold and snow, they are far more interested in its future fate. If the caterpillar is already curled up for the winter, it will "come to" if warmed in the hand or in the sunshine. The woolly bear is variable in appearance; sometimes there are five of the front segments black, four of the middle reddish brown, and three of the hind segments black. In others there are only four front segments black, six reddish ones, and two that are black at the end of the body; there are still other variations, so that each individual will tell its own story of color. There are really thirteen segments in this caterpillar, not counting the head; but the last two are so joined that probably the children will only count twelve. There are a regular number of tubercles on each side of each segment, and from each of these arises a little rosette of hairs; but the tubercles are packed so closely together, that it is difficult for the children to see how many rosettes there are on each side. While the body of the caterpillar looks as if it were covered with evenly clipped fur, there are usually a few longer hairs on the rear segment. There is a pair of true legs on each of the three front segments which form the thorax, and there are four pairs of prolegs. All of the segments behind the front three, belong to the abdomen, and the prolegs are on the 3d, 4th, 5th and 6th abdominal segments; the prop-leg is at the rear end of the body. The true legs of this caterpillar have little claws, and are as shining as if encased in patent leather; but the prolegs and propleg are merely prolongations of the sides of the body to assist the insect in holding to the leaf. The yellow spot on either side of the first segment is a spiracle; this is an opening leading into the air tubes within the body, around which the blood flows and is thus purified. There are no spiracles. on the second and third segments of the thorax, but eight of the abdominal segments have a spiracle on either side. The woolly bear's head is polished black; its antennæ are two tiny, yellow projections which can easily be seen with the naked eye. The eyes are too small to be thus seen; because of its minute eyes, the woolly bear cannot see very far and, therefore, it is obliged to feel its way. It does this by stretching out the front end of the body and reaching in every direction, to observe if there is anything to cling to in its neighborhood. When we try to seize the woolly bear, it rolls up in a little ball, and the hairs are so elastic that we take it up with great difficulty. These hairs are a protection from the attacks of birds which do not like bristles for food; and when the caterpillar is safely rolled up, the bird sees only a little bundle of bristles and lets it alone. The woolly bear feeds upon many plants, grass, clover, dandelion and others. It does not eat very much after we find it in autumn, because its growth is completed. The woolly bear should be kept in a box which should be placed out of doors, so that it may be protected from storms but have the ordinary winter temperature. Keeping it in a warm room during the winter often proves fatal. Normally, the woolly bear does not make its cocoon until April or May. It finds some secluded spot in the fall, and there curls up in safety for the long winter nap; when the warm weather comes in the spring, it makes its cocoon by spinning silk about itself; in this silk are woven the hairs which it sheds easily at that time, and the whole cocoon seems made of felt. It seems amazing that such a large caterpillar can spin about itself and squeeze itself into such a small cocoon; and it is quite as amazing to see the smooth little pupa within the cocoon, in which is condensed all that was essential of the caterpillar. Sometimes when the caterpillars are kept in a warm room, they make their cocoons in the fall, but this is not natural. The issuing of the moth from the cocoon is an interesting lesson for the last of May. The size of the The cocoon of the moth which comes from the cocoon is quite comparable woolly bear. as a miracle with the size of the caterpillar that went Photo by into it. The moth is in color dull, grayish, tawny yelM. V. Slingerland. low with a few black dots on the wings; sometimes the hind wings are tinted with dull orange-red. On the middle of the back of the moth's body there is a row of six black dots; and on each side of the body is a similar row. The legs are reddish above and tipped with black. The antennæ are small and inconspicuous. The moths are night fliers, and the mother moth seeks some plant on which to lay her eggs, that will be suitable food for the little caterpillar as soon as it is hatched. References-Moths and Butterflies, Ballard. THE ISABELLA TIGER-MOTH, OR WOOLLY BEAR Leading thought-When we see the woolly bear hurrying along in the fall, it is hunting for some cozy place in which to pass the winter. It makes its cocoon of silk woven with its own hair. In May, it comes forth a yellowish moth with black dots on its wings. Method-Have the children bring in woolly bears as they find them, place them in boxes or breeding jars which have grass or clover growing in them. The children can handle the caterpillars while they are studying them, and then they should be put back into the breeding jars and be set out of doors where they can have natural conditions; thus the entire history may be studied. The Caterpillar Observations-1. How can you tell the woolly bear from all other caterpillars? Are they all colored alike? How many segments of the body are black at the front end? How many are red? How many segments are black at the rear end of the body? How many segments does this make in all? Look closely at the hairs of the woolly bear. Are they set separately or in rosettes? Are any of the hairs of the body longer than others or are they all even? 3. Can you see, just back of the head, the true legs with their little sharp claws? How many are there? 4. Can you see the fleshy legs along the sides of the body? How many are there of these? |