Reiman's Garden Butterfly House, Ames, Iowa
Most of you are probably familiar with the story of the Grasshopper and the Ant, one of Aesop's fables from ancient Greece.
In case you've forgotten, the story tells the tale of the care free grasshopper on a summer day, enjoying life in the field as the ants struggle to store away food. Comes the winter, and the poor grasshopper is starving, while the ants are well fed on their cache of grains.
When I was a young man in the land of far away we had a record (yes, actual vinyl) of the story, complete with music. As I recall, the grasshopper played the fiddle, and sang "Oh, the world owes me a living!"
In this version of the story the ants save the grasshopper, giving him soup to warm him up and help him regain his strength.
It would be easy enough to lead into a discussion around the welfare state in this country, the virtues of charity, or the obvious virtues of thrifty living. But I'll skip that.
Aesop certainly makes a useful point, yet the point also should be made, what can real grasshoppers (the non fiddle playing kind) and real ants (the non soup making kind) teach us?
Each has it's role to play in a healthy ecology.
The ants as they dig their tunnel systems turn and aerate the soil, making a more plant friendly bed of the forest floor. Plants they drag into their lair decompose and affect the levels of nutrients in the different layers of the soil.
And ants, working as a colony with a single "mind", can even prey on some larger creatures.
And ants, working as a colony with a single "mind", can even prey on some larger creatures.
While the music loving grasshopper is fiddling away he also is playing his part to make the world functional. It is true that these little fellers can cause damage to crops, even major damage, yet they too have a beneficial affect.
By breaking down plant matter in the natural world he too fertilizes the soil, even more efficiently than larger animals. When he passes away his nitrogen rich body easily decomposes adding valuable food back to the earth.
By breaking down plant matter in the natural world he too fertilizes the soil, even more efficiently than larger animals. When he passes away his nitrogen rich body easily decomposes adding valuable food back to the earth.
And of course, the tasty grasshopper provides a food source for birds and other wild life. Not to mention the occasional misguided gourmet.
Finally there is the beautiful butterfly.
It flitters about from flower to flower and tree to tree. The flight of the butterfly is so erratic because it is such a terrible flyer, yet that very lack of skill helps to protect it from predators.
And as the butterfly gathers up nectar from here and there it's little body becomes covered with pollen, which it carries here and there for the plants.
The plants have learned to take full advantage of this free ride for it's future progeny. It lays out colors to attract the butterfly, secretes one set of odors to attract it, and yet another set odors to shoo it on it's way when done.
The colors and patterns of the butterfly serve their own purpose. Some are camouflage to allow it's wearer to hide amongst it's chosen flowers. Patterns can serve as labels so butterflies can find their true sweethearts. Some colors serve as warnings to birds and other possible predators that "this tastes bad!"
And of course some species imitate the bad tasting bugs as their own defense measure.
All these insects, like all of the life of this beautiful blue ball in space, have a role to play. They have learned over the eons to use each other's characteristics to further their own quest for life. Some are busy bodies, some just fiddle about.
Some are serendipitous beauty.
Finally there is the beautiful butterfly.
It flitters about from flower to flower and tree to tree. The flight of the butterfly is so erratic because it is such a terrible flyer, yet that very lack of skill helps to protect it from predators.
And as the butterfly gathers up nectar from here and there it's little body becomes covered with pollen, which it carries here and there for the plants.
The plants have learned to take full advantage of this free ride for it's future progeny. It lays out colors to attract the butterfly, secretes one set of odors to attract it, and yet another set odors to shoo it on it's way when done.
The colors and patterns of the butterfly serve their own purpose. Some are camouflage to allow it's wearer to hide amongst it's chosen flowers. Patterns can serve as labels so butterflies can find their true sweethearts. Some colors serve as warnings to birds and other possible predators that "this tastes bad!"
And of course some species imitate the bad tasting bugs as their own defense measure.
All these insects, like all of the life of this beautiful blue ball in space, have a role to play. They have learned over the eons to use each other's characteristics to further their own quest for life. Some are busy bodies, some just fiddle about.
Some are serendipitous beauty.
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