WINDS AND STORMS AS AGENTS IN THE 
DIFFUSION OF INSECTS. 
F. M. WEBSTER. 
Bv the term * winds" I wish to include even the mildest 
breezes as well as the strongest gales, the latter, either alone 
or in connection with thunderstorms, such as may and ordi- 
narily do occur in our latitude during the warm months of the 
year. Throughout the northern states the keen, biting March 
winds find comparatively few insects abroad to be caught 
up, or who willingly surrender themselves to its power; and in 
late autumn, when the breeding season is nearly or quite over 
with the majority of species, they seem to prefer the quiet of 
the Indian summer to move about. In the one case, diffusion 
appears to be the one overwhelming object; while in the other, 
the object seems to be to reach particular locations or con- 
ditions that will best protect from the winter blasts which 
are to come later on in the year. 
Whatever conduces to diffusion, must, as a rule, tend to 
increase fecundity — first by bringing the sexes together during 
the mating seasons, and second by enabling them to secure 
a greater food supply. 
The effect of even very light breezes in enabling the sexes 
to meet at the proper time may be well illustrated by placing 
a female of some of our larger moths in a wire cage, and, 
hanging this in the open, noting the number of males that will 
Soon be attracted and remain hovering about the cage, making 
every effort to reach the female within. The same may be 
observed in many Hymenoptera. It will be noted further that 
these males come to the cage against and not with the wind. 
With a continual absolute quiet, how much less liable would 
the sexes be to reach each other at the proper time for mating, 
1 Read before Section F, Zoólogy, American Association for the Advancement 
of Science, July 1, 1902. 
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