Outline of the story of insects
Entomology is also called insect world, insect story, entomological notes or insect stories, and its English name is Records about Insects. Based on the principle of being faithful to the overall style and expressive characteristics of the French original, this book allows readers all over the world to appreciate the world of insects and understand their daily life habits and main characteristics.
The book consists of ten volumes, and each volume contains several chapters. Each chapter describes the life of one or more insects in detail and profoundly: spiders, bees, mantis, scorpions, cicadas, beetles, crickets and flies. Such as cicadas singing for themselves, tarantulas fighting carpenter bees, slugs hunting in trees, creative stylists Toona sinensis and big peacock butterflies, hunters yellow-footed migratory locust mud bees and tunnel bees, skilled workers fireflies and golden beetles, dedicated actors scorpions and black beetles, hateful destroyers such as wasps and longicorn beetles, red ants and crab spiders taking advantage of others, and selfless dedication of dung beetles and dung beetles. There are special names for mantis and Crodo spider, ladybug in the garden, mantis is a beautiful killer, peacock butterfly is a natural dancer, pea statue is a special tax collector, cricket is a country violinist and so on. There are many kinds of insects, including their instinct, habits, labor, mating, reproduction and death, which are all introduced in detail in Insect Tales, and there are many wonderful insect knowledge that everyone does not know. For example, the "hardworking" ants praised by the National People's Congress are actually victims of the interests of other insects; The wasp will build its own "planet" underground, arguing that cicadas are deaf all summer; The red striped bee will skillfully apply anesthesia like a neurologist, so that the prey will be unconscious and not die, and the larvae will grow up on automatic fresh food; The only purpose of the beautiful peacock moth is to find a partner, because it only has two or three days' life, and only has time to find a partner in the world ... This is the most wonderful secret in the world-life.
The detailed description of insects in The Tale of Insects makes people admire Fabres's superhuman observation, such as the embarrassing appearance of cicadas and ants begging for food: "Ants are standing on the threshold, with big bags of wheat beside them, and their backs are turned to the cicadas who come to beg. The cicada stretched out its paw. Oh, I'm sorry, it's its hand. Wearing a18th century wide-brimmed hat with a guitar and piano under her arm, the skirt was blown to her stomach by the cold wind, which is the image of a cicada. " This description of begging is really vivid. What is even more impressive is Fabres's description of the inverted posture of insects: for example, in a metal cage, mantis larvae stay in one place without changing their posture. It hooks the net with the tips of four hind paws, with its back facing down and motionless, and hangs high on the top of the cage. The four hanging points bear the weight of the whole body. The handstand posture is very difficult, but the handstand posture of flies is very different. Although the fly also hangs on the ceiling, it always takes time to relax, fly casually, walk in a normal posture, stick its stomach to the ground and spread its limbs in the sun. Fabres's description of insects is really nuanced, lifelike and amazing! When reading Insects, we can even imagine the picture of insects in action. In front of us, it is no longer boring words, but mysterious nature: cicadas are singing, crickets are managing housework, spiders are catching food ... There are such interesting things in mysterious nature, and our respect and love for nature arises spontaneously-the world is so wonderful!
Fabres's book is about the life of insects, but after reading it, we find it more interesting and meaningful than reading those boring novels and plays. Instead of dissection and classification, he recorded the incredible wonder and ignorance of insect life phenomena, instincts and habits on the spot by observation and experiment. We are deeply impressed by the similar fate described in novels and plays. Now we see these tragicomedy in the insect world, just like hearing the news of distant relatives (indeed distant relatives), as urgent and memorable as all kinds of things. Entomology is indeed a miracle. It is a life movement composed by Fabres, an outstanding representative of mankind, and many ordinary people in nature-insects. It is an endless book. At the critical moment when mankind is about to enter the new century and the earth is about to usher in the ecological era, such a miracle may provide us with more precious enlightenment.
Reflections on The Book of Insects
Chernyshevski said: "Scientific books free people from ignorance, while literary and artistic works free people from vulgarity. For the sake of real education and the happiness of the people, the two are equally beneficial and necessary. " It seems that scientificity and literariness are important criteria for choosing a reader, so it is really necessary for us to calm down and read Fabres's Insect with our heart, because it is a classic with perfect combination of scientificity and literariness.
Entomology is a famous French entomologist and writer, Fabres, who devoted his life to the insect world, observed and experimented with insects in the natural environment, and truly recorded their instincts and habits. It is also a magnificent poem that eulogizes life. Fabres won the titles of "Poet of Science" and "Homer of Insect".
Strong curiosity and persistence in dreams are the driving forces behind this great work. 1823 65438+On February 22nd, Fabres was born in a peasant family in the south of France. When he was a child, he was fascinated by flowers, plants, insects and birds in the outdoor nature, and he had a strong curiosity about it. When he was less than 19 years old, he decided to study insects until 56-year-old Fables bought an old house on the wasteland near Serignan, a rural town in Provence.
Fabres wrote in Insects: My greatest wish is to have a laboratory in the wild. When a person is anxious about the daily bread problem, it is really not easy to do! For nearly forty years, I have been dreaming of a small piece of land, which is secluded, barren and sunny, covered with thistle grass, especially loved by wasps and bees. ...
Life, spring and summer cycle, forty years, it is regrettable to stick to a dream. Fabres's persistence is beyond our ordinary people's reach. I used to be curious about the world, and I dreamed of my future life. But in reality, I don't know how many times I crushed my initial heart and abandoned my original dream. Now I lament my mediocrity and paleness at the age of not being confused for half my life. Alas, alas! Fabres's success stems from his childhood curiosity about the insect world and his dream of studying insects, which has never changed. And why didn't you follow the path you once loved?
Strict scientific attitude and persistent exploration spirit are the important secrets of the success of this scientific masterpiece.
Fabres is rigorous and realistic, never jumping to conclusions, and always insists on "accurately describing the observed facts, neither adding anything nor ignoring anything". When Fabres didn't know why the Spanish dung beetle mother had the instinct of building restoration, but didn't want to help her free grub open its elaborate nest from the outside, he wrote: I can't give a definite answer, because I have never seen anything like it; When he didn't observe when the cicada nymph began to take the first bite, he truthfully recorded: I don't know yet. He has never been superstitious. Experts say that "Scorpion Longue Doc gave birth in September", and he told everyone through his careful observation that this is not the case. There are countless examples like this, and Fabres's scientific attitude of seeking truth from facts has been fully reflected in every observation record.
Fables is also persistent. He has been observing and studying "bugs" all his life and writing biographies for them. In order to observe the behavior and physiological structure of insects, he can squat on the ground for several hours; In order to understand the birth process of "Longuedoc Scorpion", we can observe it patiently for four months. You can go on a field trip with lanterns in the dark night and hide an unclear question in your heart for 25 years. ...
Fabres gets along with those lively insects day and night. With a pragmatic, tenacious and persistent spirit, he tried to explore and pursue the truth of nature and the mystery of life. In his book, he tells us the characteristics of 32 kinds of insects in detail, which makes us really understand that cicadas can only crawl out of the ground for 4 years and sing in the sun for 5 weeks. Crickets are good at building nests and managing housework; Spiders are good at preying and weaving webs; Mantis is good at subduing the enemy with "psychological tactics"; There is also the phenomenon of cannibalism; The wood saw can "cut" the lower round leaves and make the nest cover without any tools. ...
Vivid and interesting language is the gorgeous coat of this literary classic, while rational philosophy and the light of human nature are its noble soul. Although the story of insects is written about popular science, it is not boring to read, because the author often uses metaphors and personification to express the insect world. The language is vivid and beautiful, vivid and concise, humorous and humorous, and it is full of fun to read. Mr. Lu Xun said: The Insect Story is not only of academic value, but also interesting to read. This is a very interesting book. In his works, Liu Yejia looks like a miser, wearing a short dovetail dress that seems to be "short of cloth"; Little beetle "selfless dedication for future generations, heartbreaking for children"; A sparrow bitten by a poisonous spider will also "eat happily, and even cry like a baby if we feed it slowly".
Every insect in Fabres's works is unique, spiritual and touching, which stems from the fact that Fabres's heart is full of respect for life, love and praise for all things in nature. "What you care about is death, and what I care about is life." Fabres deeply loved the insects he studied and the career of writing history and biography for insects. Fabres's love and snooping gave insects freedom and life, and also gave himself a complete and true science. In his eyes, spiders, wasps, scarabs and scorpions are all closely connected systems. They are also an indispensable link in the biological chain of the earth, and their lives should also be respected.
Weak insects always shine with the light of human nature. When you close the book, you can't forget the respectful Spanish dung beetle, which guards the door day and night to protect its grub from harm. He would rather starve himself than touch the food prepared for his children, because he didn't want to see them suffer. Whenever I read the emotional place, I will cry for you, because I am also a mother, and it is also my instinct to love and care for children.
Between the lines of Fabres's book, the only thing that shows disgust is mantis, because under its slender and elegant appearance, there is a killer's heart. It eats living things and eats its sister carelessly, as fierce as a hungry tiger and as cruel as a demon. After laying eggs and nesting, she ran away without nostalgia, leaving her poor child alone. Fabrice, who loves insects, sympathizes with this grub, so she is not interested in this heartless mantis.
The indifference to mantis just reflects Fabres's respect for life and his call for warmth. Everything in the world, whether primates or worms, deserves and must be respected and cared for. This is the power of human nature contained in small insects, which makes us have to reflect on human nature, think about the meaning of life and pity everything.
Life is a rare pleasure. In those cold and dark years, I don't know if Fabres was ever lonely, but I know that he was immersed in his passionate career and enjoyed it. He found his spiritual home in one insect world after another. I often think that whether it is a bug in a corner of his house or a glass tube in the laboratory, it should be happy, because there are people who have given everything for it and loved it all their lives.
Will such a masterpiece as Insect still appear?
On a quiet night in midsummer, the stars are low, watching beautiful fireflies fly low in the grass with soft and quiet light in the night sky, listening to crickets playing the piano and singing slugs, holding scrolls in their hands, fascinated by the warm and interesting words in Insect Tales, and exploring the true meaning of life with insects. What kind of happiness and enjoyment this should be.
Insects remember good sentences.
1. When the poor locust moved to the place where mantis could just touch it, mantis immediately used its weapon mercilessly, hit the poor bug hard with its powerful palm, and then pressed it hard with those two saws. Therefore, no matter how doggedly the little prisoner resisted, it was of no help. Next, the cruel devil winner began to chew his booty. Of course it will feel very proud. In this way, treating the enemy like autumn leaves is mantis's unchanging creed.
Cicada and I have lived next to each other for fifteen years now, and every summer lasts for almost two months. They never leave my sight, and their songs never leave my ears. I usually see them lined up on the soft branches of the hanging trees in Shinohara, and the singer and his partner sit side by side. The straw is stuck in the bark and you can drink it without moving. As the sun sets, they walk slowly and steadily, along the branches, looking for a warm place. Whether drinking or acting, they never stop singing.
Cicada was first discovered in summer solstice. On the sunny road with many pedestrians, there are many round holes, which are flush with the ground and about the size of a person's finger. In these round holes, cicada larvae crawl out of the ground and become a complete cicada on the ground. They like places with dry personality and sunshine. It is precisely because grubs have a powerful tool that can penetrate baked soil and sand.
The next morning, I saw that the warm and dazzling sunshine had fallen on the glass cover. These worker ants climbed up from the ground in droves, eager to go out and look for food. However, they hit the transparent wall again and again, fell down and got up again. In this way, groups of people keep trying and never want to give up. Some of them got tired of dancing, walked around with bad temper for a while, and then went back to the house. Some, when the sun is hotter, replace the former. In this way, the shifts are rotated. However, in the end, no wasp bravely reached out and scratched and dug the soil around the glass cover, opening up a new way to make a living. That means they can't have tried to escape. How limited their wisdom is.
Animal instinct can't be changed. Experience cannot guide them; Time can't make their unconscious have the slightest awakening. If they only have simple instincts, then they will not be able to cope with the changes in the world and the natural environment. The environment is constantly changing, and there are many unexpected things that often happen. Because of this, insects need to have a special ability to teach them and let them know clearly what should be accepted and what should be rejected. It needs some kind of guidance. Of course, there is such guidance. However, the word wisdom seems a little too subtle and doesn't apply here. So I'm going to call it discrimination.
6. In the process of larvae sucking bee eggs, the sweet honey juice stored around bee eggs can't tempt greedy bee mite larvae at all. It ignores them and doesn't touch them. Therefore, it can be said that bee eggs are absolutely important for bee mite larvae and are indispensable food for larvae. Therefore, small bee eggs can not only be used as a boat for bee mite larvae to travel safely in the honey lake, but more importantly, they are also nutritious food for larvae, providing conditions for their vigorous growth.
7. When the poor locust moved to the point where the mantis just touched it, the mantis immediately used its weapon mercilessly, hit the poor locust hard with its powerful palm, and then pressed it hard with those two saws. Therefore, no matter how doggedly the little prisoner resisted, it was of no help. Next, the cruel devil winner began to chew his booty. Of course it will feel very proud. In this way, treating the enemy like autumn leaves is mantis's unchanging creed.
In August and July, when our insects run around the withered flowers in despair for drinks, they are still very comfortable, and they don't feel pain when they know it. Pierce the inexhaustible bucket with its protruding mouth-a slender straw, sharp as an awl, stored in the chest. It sits on the branch and sings all the time. As long as it drills through the smooth bark and there is a lot of juice in it, insert the straw into the hole of the bucket and it will be full.
9. Bees' nests in Mei Sen are made of hard gray soil. Usually its nest is around the branches. Because it is made of plaster, it can be attached to it very firmly. However, the masons' beehive is only made of mud, without cement or anything else that can make it stronger. So how does it solve these problems?
10, cicada just fills a small egg and moves to a higher place. In addition, when digging a hole, gnats will go there immediately. Although the cicada's claws can reach it, it is calm and fearless. Like at home, they add a hole in the cicada's egg and then lay the egg in it. When the cicada flew back, most of its holes had been filled with other people's eggs. These fake guys can destroy cicada eggs. This larva matures quickly-one in each family-and feeds on cicada eggs, not cicada families.
1 1. If I take the bamboo bee's small room away, I can observe the home of the digger bee. Growing insects live in some small rooms. There are also some small rooms full of diggers' larvae. There are also some small rooms, most of which hide an egg-shaped shell. The shell is divided into several parts with protruding breathing holes. This kind of shell is thin and brittle and very fragile. Its color is amber and very transparent. Therefore, it can be clearly seen from the outside that there is a fully developed bee mite struggling inside. It seems to be extremely eager for freedom and expects to be liberated from it as soon as possible.
12, it will perform a kind of individual gymnastics. The body jumps in the air, only slightly fixed on the old leather, turns over the body, makes the head down, spreads the patterned wings, straightens out and tries to open.
13. The eggs of Dendrolimus punctatus hatch in September. At this time, if you lift the scales of the tubule a little, you can see that there are many small blackheads inside. They bit, pushed their eyelids and slowly climbed up the tubule. Their bodies are light yellow, and their black heads are twice as big as their bodies. When they climb out, the first thing they do is eat the needles that support their nests. After eating the needles, they landed on the nearby needles. There may often be three or four bugs accidentally falling together, which will naturally form a team. This is the embryonic form of the future army of Dendrolimus punctatus. If you play with them, they will shake their heads and greet you happily with their forelimbs.
14. Cicada has lived next door to me for fifteen years. Every summer is almost as long as two months. They never leave my sight, and songs never leave my ears. I usually see them lined up on the soft branches of the hanging trees in Shinohara, and the singer and his partner sit side by side. The straw is stuck in the bark and you can drink it without moving. As the sun sets, they walk slowly and steadily, along the branches, looking for a warm place. Whether drinking or acting, they never stop singing.
15. If the thief escapes safely, the only effort the owner can make is to admit his bad luck. It wiped its cheek and sucked.
16. If you want to devote yourself to music, you must shrink your internal organs to place musical instruments.
Cicada likes singing very much. There is a cymbal-like instrument in the cavity behind its wings. That's not enough. We need to put a castanet on the chest to increase the intensity of the sound. Indeed, there is a kind of cicada, which sacrificed a lot to satisfy its love for music. Because of this huge castanet, living organs have nowhere to be placed, so they have to be pressed into the smallest corner of the body. Of course, if you want to devote yourself to music, then you have to shrink your internal organs to place musical instruments.
18. If we dig the surface of the dam slowly and slightly, we will be surprised to find more interesting things. At the beginning of August, we saw a small room with a floor on the top. Their appearance is very different from the hive below. The main reason for this difference is that it is built by two different bees. One of them is the aforementioned Digging Bee, and the other one has a nice name called Bamboo Bee.
19, the beetle first made a complete ball, then made a circle around the pear, adding pressure until the circle became a deep ditch, making it look like a bottleneck. In this way, one end of the ball bulges. Add pressure to the center of the bulge to make a pit, that is, a depression with thick edge, deep depression and thin edge, and finally form a bag. It grinds the inside of the bag smooth, lays the eggs in it, and plugs the mouth of the bag with a bunch of fibers, which is the tail end of the pear.
20, July season, when our insects here, suffering from thirst, disappointed by withered flowers, running around looking for drinks, cicadas are still very comfortable and do not feel pain. Pierce the inexhaustible bucket with its protruding mouth-a slender straw, sharp as an awl, stored in the chest. It sits on the branch and sings all the time. As long as it drills through the smooth bark and there is a lot of juice in it, insert the straw into the hole of the bucket and it will be full.