For up to five years, the beetle-like larvae live in these slender caverns when they aren’t patrolling for food.Ģ The larvae’s host, the devil crayfish, uses its sharp claws to create and maintain complex streamside towers and tunnels that run as deep as six feet. Eggs laid in a stream hatch into microscopic larvae, which search for the crayfish burrows. Scientists are studying why they thrive in this treacherous location and not elsewhere.ġ In summer, adult dragonflies feed, mate - and die. The larvae of this rare bug - the only dragonfly in the United States to be listed as an endangered species - grow up in crayfish burrows in a part of the Des Plaines River Valley just southwest of the city. But tell that to the Hine’s emerald dragonfly. Then they'll understand what happened to me, and where I went."Īnd the dragonfly winged off happily into his wonderful new world of sun and air.Living in a home built by a critter that might eat you may seem suicidal. I guess I'll just have to wait until they become dragonflies, too. Even if I could go back, not one of the water bugs would know me in my new body. "At least I tried, but I can't keep my promise. Suddenly he hit the surface of the water. Then he remembered the promise: "The next one of us who climbs up the lily stalk will come back and tell where he went and why." Why, he was right above his old friends, the water bugs! There they were, scurrying about, just as he had been doing some time before. Then it was that he chanced to look below to the bottom of the pond. By and by, he lighted happily on a lily pad to rest. He felt exhilarated in the new atmosphere. Swooping and dipping in great curves, he flew through the air. He moved his wings again and suddenly found himself up above the water. The warmth of the sun dried the moisture from the new body. Even as he struggled, he felt an impulse to move his wings. His movement revealed four silver wings and a long tail. A startling change had come to his old body. When he awoke, he looked about with surprise. Before he knew what was happening, he had broken through the surface of the water, and fallen onto the broad, green lily pad above. One spring day, not long after, the very water bug who had suggested the plan found himself climbing up the lily stalk. The next one of us who climbs up the lily stalk must promise to come back and tell us where he went and why." They were greatly puzzled.įinally one of the water bugs, a leader in the colony, gathered his friends together. "Where do you suppose he went?" wondered a third. "Wasn't he happy here?" asked a second water bug. "That's funny!" said one water bug to another. ![]() His friends waited and waited but he didn't return. ![]() Even as they watched him, the water bug disappeared from sight. "One of our colony is climbing up the lily stalk. "Look!" said one of the water bugs to another. They did notice that every once in a while one of their colony seemed to lose interest in going about with his friends.Ĭlinging to the stem of a pond lily, he gradually moved out of sight and was seen no more. For many months they were very busy, scurrying over the soft mud on the bottom of the pond. They were a happy colony, living far away from the sun. Down below the surface of a quiet pond lived a little colony of water bugs.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |