INSECTS 



several sections which spread out over the foliage. The 

 tent is soon deserted. For one, two, or three hours 

 the repast continues, the diners often returning home 

 late at night. Observations indicate that this is the 

 regular habit of the tent caterpillar in its earlier stages, 

 and perhaps up to the sixth or last stage of its life. In 

 at least nine instances the writer noted entire colonies 

 back in the tent for the night at hours ranging from 

 nine to eleven p.m.; but sometimes a part of the crowd 

 was still feeding when last observed. 



In describing the life of a community of insects it is 

 seldom possible to make general statements that will 

 apply to all the individuals. The best that a writer can 

 do is to say what he sees most of the insects do, for, as in 

 other communities, there are always those eccentric mem- 

 bers who will not conform with the customs of the major- 

 ity. Occasionally a solitary tent caterpillar may be seen 

 feeding between regular mealtimes. Often one works 

 alone on the tent, spinning and weaving long after its 

 companions have quit and gone below lor the midday 

 rest. Such a one appears to be afflicted with an over- 

 developed sense of responsibility. Then, too, there is 

 nearly always one among the group in the tent who can 

 not get to sleep. He flops this way and that, striking his 

 companions on either side and keeping them awake also. 

 These are annoyed, but they do not retaliate; they seem 

 to realize that their restless comrade has but a common 

 caterpillar affliction and must be endured. 



Many of these little traits make the caterpillars seem 

 almost human. But, of course, this is just a popular 

 form of expression; in fact, it expresses an idea too popular 

 — we take an over amount of satisfaction in referring to 

 our faults as particularly human characteristics. What 

 we really should say is not how much tent caterpillars 

 are like us in their shortcomings, but how much we are 

 still like tent caterpillars. We both revert more or less 

 in our instincts to times before we lived in communities, 



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