FABRE'S BOOK OF INSECTS 



long antennae are freed, and a few shakes complete the 

 operation. 



It is a striking sight to see a hundred young Mantes 

 coming from the nest at once. Hardly does one tiny 

 creature show its black eyes under a scale before a swarm 

 of others appears. It is as though a signal passed from 

 one to the other, so swiftly does the hatching spread. 

 Almost in a moment the middle zone of the nest is 

 covered with grubs, who run about feverishly, stripping 

 themselves of their torn garments. Then they drop off, 

 or clamber into the nearest foliage. A few days later 

 a fresh swarm appears, and so on till all the eggs are 

 hatched. 



But alas! the poor grubs are hatched into a world 

 of dangers. I have seen them hatching many times, both 

 out of doors in my enclosure, and in the seclusion of a 

 greenhouse, where I hoped I should be better able to 

 protect them. Twenty times at least I have watched 

 the scene, and every time the slaughter of the grubs 

 has been terrible. The Mantis lays many eggs, 

 but she will never lay enough to cope with the hungry 

 murderers who lie in wait until the grubs appear. 



The Ants, above all, are their enemies. Every day 

 I find them visiting my nests. It is in vain for me to 

 interfere; they always get the better of me. They 

 seldom succeed in entering the nest; its hard walls form 



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