BEAUTY IN THE AIR

HER fine silky hair bouncing in the breeze, the little girl pursues her “prey”—a lovely, delicate butterfly. Joining in her little game, the butterfly obligingly alights on this flower and that. Then, as if to tease, it flies away just as the tiny cupped hands are about to capture it. Suddenly, our little friend has an idea: Instead of noisily scrambling after the elusive butterfly, she slowly and quietly approaches it as it rests on a pretty wildflower. Wide-eyed, she is rewarded with a wonderful close-up view of one of the most colorful of God’s creations.

Shall we join her? Our own appreciation of this winged masterpiece will also grow.

Look Closely

See the three basic body sections? (See page 18.) First, there is the head with its characteristic pair of clubbed antennae. These aid the senses of smell, touch, and perhaps even hearing. They help the butterfly locate its favorite food or a mate. Also, we note two large compound eyes capable of panoramic sight in full color. Can you see what looks like a tube rolled up and tucked under its head? This long tongue is called a proboscis. It uncoils to enable the butterfly to sip sweet nectar from flowers or taste other favorite foods.

The midsection of the body is called the thorax. Four lovely wings are attached here. The vibrant colors and intricate patterns that we see are actually produced by hundreds of tiny scales, each connected to a socket on the wing. These colored plates contain air, which makes the wing lightweight and acts as an excellent insulator for temperature control.

Three pairs of legs are also connected to the thorax. The legs have bristles that help many butterflies to respond to sounds.

Adult butterflies also have ‘taste buds’ on their feet. Researchers have found that when a butterfly’s feet touch something sweet, the tongue automatically uncoils, ready to feed. The North American monarch butterfly has taste organs in its feet that are 2,000 times more sensitive than the human tongue!

The last major body division is the abdomen, which contains the digestive system and the reproductive organs. Look closely at the segments of the abdomen, and you’ll see little holes through which a butterfly breathes. These are called spiracles.

A Master of Change

The butterfly we observe poised on the flower has not always been as delicate or as graceful. It has experienced some rapid and dramatic changes in form. This process of development is called complete metamorphosis. Drastic changes take place between the different stages of the one living organism.

Depending on the kind of butterfly, life begins as a tiny egg laid on the leaf of a plant that will be eaten by the larva—or better known by its other name, caterpillar—when it hatches. Some eggs may develop into caterpillars within three short days. Other eggs laid in the fall will pass the winter before hatching.

Once free of its eggshell home, the hungry caterpillar proceeds to devour the empty shell. Then it turns its attention to the host plant. The little creature is a virtual eating machine as it gorges itself to store up enough food to last through the lean days ahead. Butterfly specialists claim that if a six-pound human baby would gain weight at the same rate as caterpillars, at the end of two weeks the baby would tip the scales at eight tons!

Inevitably, as the caterpillar satisfies its voracious appetite, its body expands, and it literally outgrows its skin. Typically, a caterpillar will split and shed its skin four or five times before entering into its third stage of development—the pupa stage.

This most fascinating caterpillar molt begins when the full-grown larva attaches itself to a surface with a silken lifeline. In an aerial act that would amaze most circus performers, the caterpillar sheds its outer skin to reveal a pupal shell beneath. All the furious eating comes to a halt. The pupa, or chrysalis, may now look inactive or even dead, but inside an incredible transformation is taking place that will change the larva into a beautiful butterfly.

Hormones cause most of the larval organs to dissolve, and the resulting fluids and materials rearrange to form the adult inside the pupa.

Warm temperatures, adequate length of daylight, and moisture signal the developed butterfly inside that the time is right to emerge. The chrysalis splits open as the winged beauty struggles to get free, taking anywhere from 90 seconds to 5 minutes. The newly hatched butterfly hardly looks fit to make its debut. Its cramped quarters have left its wings wet and crumpled. So, clinging where it has emerged, it pumps body fluids in the veins of the wings, which expand and begin to harden. Its life may span from three days up to eight months or even a year.

In Search of Butterflies

Should you care to journey to the arid southwestern deserts of the United States, you might be delighted to spot the Felders’ orange-tip (Anthocharis cethura). How does it cope with such an unfriendly climate? It flies only during the early spring months in years when enough rainfall has produced its desired food plants. The patient pupae may delay hatching up to five or six years, waiting for the right amount of moisture.

These deserts also host another butterfly of distinction: the giant skipper (Megathymus coloradensis). This large butterfly has a chunky body and comparatively small triangular wings that make it look as if flight would be awkward. Don’t be fooled—these jets of the insect world may be the fastest butterflies on earth, with speeds of 60 miles per hour [96 km/hr].

Traveling to the cold windswept summits of the California Sierra Nevadas, we would find the hardy ivallda arctic (Oeneis ivallda). It withstands winters lasting nine to ten months at elevations of 10,000-14,000 feet [3,000-4,000 m]. How does it survive? Scientists believe that the caterpillar is able to produce its own “antifreeze.”

Perhaps you would enjoy observing the large blue (Maculinea arion) of Europe and its partnership with the ants. After several molts, it is found by certain kinds of ants, which stroke a “honey gland” on the back of the caterpillar, yielding a sweet fluid. The ants adopt the caterpillar, carrying it back to their nest, where they give it ant larvae to eat in exchange for the sweet “honeydew.” Eventually, the caterpillar enters the pupa stage, emerging as a butterfly three weeks later.

Within the butterfly world we find tremendous variety in size, wing shape, color, and patterns. In some cases, though, the opposite is true. Some species so resemble each other that only experts can accurately identify them. Several poisonous kinds afford protection to their nonpoisonous look-alikes, as wary birds and other predators have learned not to make a meal of them. The smallest known butterfly specimen, pygmy blue (Brephidium exilis) of North America, is less than one half inch [1 cm] in wingspan. The largest is the Queen Alexandra’s birdwing (Ornithoptera alexandrae) of the South Pacific, which can have a wingspread of 11 inches [28 cm].

About 10,000 to 20,000 different species of butterflies adorn the surface of this planet. They are to be found braving the harsh desert heat of North Africa; scaling the dizzying heights of the Himalayas to altitudes of 20,000 feet [6,000 m]; living more than 100 feet [30 m] below sea level in the Middle East and Death Valley, California; playing about the tropical rain forests of South America, Africa, and Asia; patrolling the turbulent Atlantic seacoasts; and even surviving in the frigid tundra above the Arctic Circle.

In a flash of color, the butterfly we were watching at the outset is once again airborne, bound for parts unknown. 

 

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ALLIGATORS---RARE, WHITE, AND BLUE-EYED!

THE following release prepared by Curt Burnette for Audubon Institute tells the story of the remarkable white alligators.

“The white-skinned, blue-eyed alligators are a genetic mutation of the American alligator and not a different species. This mutation is called leucism, therefore these are leucistic alligators. Albinos have white skin and pinkish-yellow eyes. Leucistic animals have pigmented eyes. Albinism is rare but leucism is even more rare. Although leucism is known in a few other species of animals, the white gators are the first known leucistic alligators.

“There are 18 white gators, all discovered at the same nest site in late August, 1987. Three Cajun fishermen found them near Houma, Louisiana, southwest of New Orleans. They were approximately 1-2 weeks old when the first ones were brought to the Audubon Zoo on September 5, 1987. Besides the 18 whites, 7 normal-colored siblings were captured and an undetermined number of normals escaped. The nest was located on land owned by the Louisiana Land and Exploration Company (LL&E). Although the nest area has been watched and eggs collected and hatched out, no further white gators have ever been discovered.

“All 18 white gators and their 7 normal siblings are male. This is possible because the sex of a baby alligator is determined by the temperature of the nest and so can be all male, all female, or a mix. As of this writing, the gators are reaching sexual maturity (5-6 years). The size of the 18 varies from about 5 feet and 50-60 pounds to over 8 feet and 250 pounds. This is a result of differing management techniques. Gators raised at LL&E’s alligator farm grow more rapidly.

“LL&E owns 14 of the white gators and graciously donated 4 to the Audubon Institute. The Institute currently displays 2 at its Audubon Zoo and 2 at its Aquarium of the Americas. Two alligators are rotated out on loan to other zoos and aquariums and have already been to over a dozen in the U.S. and one in Japan.

“The white gators have become famous and popular all over the world. Their discovery was broadcast worldwide by CNN. They have made numerous television appearances including the Today Show, the Nashville Network, the Tonight Show, CBS Morning News, Late Night with David Letterman, Christian Broadcast Network, MTV, and various foreign news and morning shows. Newspaper and magazine articles worldwide occasionally feature them. A few years back a French magazine ran an article and photos of them and the public response was so favorable they ran a sequel feature.

“How come there are so few white gators and no one had ever seen any before? Besides being rare mutations to begin with, leucistic and albinistic alligators are at a distinct and deadly disadvantage from normal alligators. When a baby gator hatches, it’s only 8-10 inches long. The mother gator guards the nest for a while but soon the little gators are on their own. Normal gator hatchlings are yellow and black striped and blend in well with their surroundings. A white hatchling would easily be spotted by and fall prey to many different predators.

“Two last interesting and unusual facts about the white gators: their black spots and their temperament. Only a very few of the white gators were hatched with black spots. Most had none at all. As they grew, however, more began developing some black areas. Almost all the spots developed around the head and neck only. It has made it easier to identify who is who, although some have never acquired any spots at all.

“And finally, it is agreed by everyone who has worked with the white gators, they are more feisty and temperamental than normal alligators. No one is sure why this is so, but they are treated as if they were fast and quick-tempered crocodiles rather than relatively slower and more easygoing alligators. Yet another of the many mysteries that surround these white wonders of the swamp!”—By Curt Burnette, Audubon Institute.

 

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CULTIVATING ORCHIDS---HOW PATIENCE PAYS OFF

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GROWING orchids can be habit-forming. Some admirers spend hours studying the Latin names of their favorites so they can pronounce them properly. Why are people so fascinated with orchids?

The number of different kinds of orchids is vast. Some 25,000 different species have been discovered in the wild, and official organizations recognize more than 100,000 artificial hybrids! The label “artificial hybrid” does not mean that botanists have created new living organisms from soil, water, and air. Rather, such hybrids are the product of controlled cross-pollination.

Naturally occurring orchids as well as those produced with human assistance come in a variety of sizes. There are tiny orchids that are best observed with a magnifying glass, while others display themselves nicely on a windowsill. One orchid that grows in the Indonesian rain forest can weigh over 1,000 pounds [500 kg]!

Orchids flaunt a rainbow of colors and come in many shapes. Some of them bear a striking resemblance to bees, moths, and birds, while others with forms unlike anything you have ever seen before are particularly captivating, especially to breeders. For many years, only the rich could acquire these beautiful plants, but now orchids are available to those of lesser means. Here is the story behind the beautiful orchids you can enjoy today.

The “Orchid Rush”

People have admired orchids for centuries, but only in fairly recent times have growers learned effective ways to reproduce them. In 1856 the first man-made orchid hybrid flowered. However, cultivating these splendid but fussy flowers was often more tedious than delightful.

Orchid seeds are small—some are like fine dust. Handling such tiny seeds was, and often still is, a challenge, but the greatest difficulty has been getting them to grow. For decades, growers experimented with different materials and conditions to find the right medium for the germination of orchid seeds. In 1922, Dr. Lewis Knudson, a scientist at Cornell University in the United States, discovered that when the seeds were placed in a mixture of water, sugar, and agar (a jellylike substance extracted from seaweed), they sprouted and flourished. Soon enthusiasts were producing new orchid hybrids in abundance. This “orchid rush” continues, with many hybrids never before seen in public appearing each year.

But long before humans cultivated them, orchids grew in the wild. How do orchids produce hybrids in their natural environment?

Orchids in the Wild

When two or more closely related orchid species are flowering in the same area, there is a chance that a natural hybrid will develop. In nature, insects and other creatures act as pollinators. When a pollinator visits orchids in search of nectar, pollen from one plant sticks to its body and pollinates subsequent plants visited. The pollinated orchids may then become fertilized. As such, they will produce seedpods.

In time, the seedpod ripens, splits open, and sets loose thousands, or even millions, of seeds. Some of these fall to the ground, while the wind carries off many others. The seeds that take root have a hard time, and very few reach maturity. Those that grow as a result of pollen from one species fertilizing another species are known as natural hybrids. But how is an artificial orchid hybrid made?

Making the Hybrid

An orchid hybrid is the combination of characteristics from each of its parents. Hence, a grower first considers what kind of flower he wishes to produce. He may be looking for a certain color or stripes or spots. He may be seeking to combine those features in a plant with small flowers or large ones. Fragrance is another factor. With those points in mind, the grower selects two orchids that will hopefully endow their offspring with the desired characteristics. For instance, an orchid cultivator may choose the golden slipper orchid (Paphiopedilum armeniacum) as one of the species he will use. That orchid was discovered in China in 1979. It often imparts a rich golden-yellow to its hybrid offspring, some of which are stunningly beautiful.

Once the grower has acquired his two parent plants, he removes all existing pollen from the pod parent, the flower that will receive pollen from the other plant. The orchid that supplies the pollen is known as the pollen parent. With a toothpick or similar tool, the grower removes pollen from the pollen parent and smears the pollen at the base of the column of the flower of the pod parent. He labels this cross-pollinated orchid with the names of both parents and the pollination date.

Patience Is a Must

If fertilization takes place, an amazing thing occurs in the blossom of the pod parent. Threadlike tubes stretch out from the column to a part of the blossom known as the ovary. The ovary then swells and forms a seedpod. Inside, hundreds of thousands of tiny seeds are forming, each one connected to a single pollen tube. It may take months or more than a year for the seedpod to ripen. At that point, the grower gathers the seeds from the seedpod. He places them in a sterilized flask with a solution of agar and nutrients. If the seeds germinate, tiny orchids will soon appear like a carpet of green grass.

After a few months, the grower removes the seedlings from the flask and places them close together in a community pot. He keeps an eye on the seedlings, frequently watering them so they will not dry out. In time, the grower transplants his new orchids to individual pots. At this point, patience is a true virtue. Orchids may take from a few years to over a decade to bloom.

Imagine a grower’s satisfaction when he sees a blossom on an orchid he has worked to produce! If the hybrid is new, the grower can register it using a name of his choosing. All hybrids developed thereafter using that genus/species blend will thus be referred to by the registered name.

At times, a grower finds an ideal combination that creates a sensation among orchid hobbyists. He may receive awards, and his beautiful plants will command high prices. But regardless of the monetary outcome, the pleasure of seeing a blossom on an orchid that he has crossed is a delight.

Now you know that it took much time and patience to produce the beautiful orchids that you admire. But in reality, the work humans do in producing orchid hybrids is simple compared with that of the grand Creator of every living thing, Jehovah. He has put the complex genetic code in each plant, allowing for such gorgeous blossoms. We are merely the recipients of his artistic love demonstrated among the fascinating variety of orchid hybrids. It is truly as the psalmist David wrote: “How many your works are, O Jehovah! All of them in wisdom you have made. The earth is full of your productions.”—Psalm 104:24

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