INSECTS AND CIVILIZATION 



up as men do hands in the attitude of prayer. This, it 

 is said, led Moslems to regard them as fellow-worship- 

 pers of God who showed their pious intentions by their 

 devout manner. In southern Africa the Mantida3 re- 

 ceive homage. Throughout the continent of Europe 

 the belief prevailed that when consulted as an oracle 

 they would give, by their responsive position, unerring 

 judgment as to the best policy in matters questioned. 

 The peasantry of France are said still to believe, as did 

 the ancient Greeks, that the mantis will point out the 

 right way to the perplexed traveller. 



Leaving the insects of sacred repute, let us turn to 

 folk-lore to note a few survivals of the belief that certain 

 insects are interlinked with and can influence destinies. 

 Among these is a little beetle known as the lady bird, 

 a name doubtless due to the belief that it was sacred to 

 the Virgin Mary. Who does not recall the sense of 

 mystery and expectation with which in childhood those 

 pretty, spotted creatures were picked from the bushes 

 and cast into the air followed by a chanted couplet: 



"Lady bird, lady bird, fly away home! 

 Your house is on' fire, your children alone." 



Or perhaps with the variant ending : 



"Your children all burn." 



Is this custom a survival of a pagan enchantment out 

 of which the ancient spirit has long since fled ? Doubt- 

 less it is associated with the impression that the insect's 

 life and liberty must be held sacred, A prosaic and 

 practical explanation refers to the usefulness of the lady 

 bird. Its larvse are insectivorous. They feed upon 

 aphides, or plant lice — the " ant cows " of the myrmecolo- 



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