It is an extraordinary Act of Instinct and Sagacity, observable in the generality of the Insect-Tribe, that they all take Care to secure themselves, and provide against the Necessities of Winter. That when the Distresses of Cold and Wet force them, they should retire to warm and dry Places of Safety, is not strange; but it is a prodigious Act of the infinite Conservator’s Care to enable some to live in a different Kind of Insect-State; others to live, as without Action, so without Food; and others that act and eat, to lay up in Summer sufficient Provisions against the approaching Winter. Some, I say, live in a different State. For having sufficiently fed, nourished, and bred up themselves to the Perfection of their Vermicular, Nympha-State, in the Summer-Months, they then retire to Places of Safety, and there throw off their Nympha, and put on their Aurelia or Chrysalis-State for all the Winter, in which there are no Occasions for Food. This is the constant Method of many Families of the Insect-Tribe[a].
But there are others, and some of them in their most perfect State too, that are able to subsist in a kind of Torpitude or Sleeping State, without any Food at all; by Reason as there is no Action so no Waste of Body, no Expence of Spirits, and therefore no need of Food[b].
But for others that move and act, and need Food, it is a prodigious Instinct and Foresight the Creator hath imprinted on them, to lay up sufficient Food in Summer for the Winter’s[c] Necessities and Occasions. And it is very pretty to see with what unwearied Diligence all Hands are at work for that Purpose, all the warmer Months. Of this the Holy Scripture it self gives us an Instance in the Ant, calling that little Animal exceeding wise, Prov. xxx. 24. And the Reason is, ℣. 25. The Ants are a People not strong, yet they prepare their Meat in the Summer. And therefore Solomon sends the Sluggard to this little contemptible Creature, to learn Wisdom, Foresight, Care and Diligence, Prov. vi. 6, 7, 8. Go to the Ant, thou Sluggard, consider her Ways, and be wise: which having no Guide, Overseer, or Ruler, provideth her Meat in the Summer, and gathereth her Food in the Harvest.
To this Scriptural Example, give me leave to anticipate, and subjoin an Observation of the farther great Wisdom of this little Creature; and that is their unparallelled Στοργὴ, their Tenderness, Sagacity, and Diligence about their Young[d]. ’Tis very diverting, as well as admirable to see, with what Affection and Care they carry about their Young in their Mouths, how they expose themselves to the greatest Dangers, rather than leave their Young exposed or forsaken; how they remove them from Place to Place in their little Hills, sometimes to this Part, sometimes to that, for the Benefit of convenient Warmth, and proper Moisture; and then again withdraw, and guard them against Rain and Cold. Now that this great Wisdom which the Scriptures attribute unto, and is discernible in this little Animal, is owing only to the Instinct, or Infusions of the great Conservator of the World, is evident, because either this Wisdom, Thought, and Forecast, is an Act of the Animal it self, or of some other Being that hath Wisdom. But the Animal being irrational, ’tis impossible it can be its own Act, but must be derived, or received from some wise Being. And who? What can that be, but the infinite Lord, Conservator and Governour of all the World?
FOOTNOTES:
[a] It would be endless to enter into Particulars here, because all the Papilionaceous, Flesh, and Ichneumon-Fly Tribes, and all others that undergo the Nympha and Aurelia-State, between that of the Egg and Mature-State, (which are very numerous) appertain to this Note. For a Sample therefore only, I shall take what some may think a mean one, but if considered, deserves our Admiration, and that is the Sagacity of the White Butter-fly Caterpiller, which having fed it self its due Time, then retires to Places of Security. I have seen great Trains of them creeping up the Walls and Posts of the next Houses, where, with the help of some Cobweb-like Filaments, they hang themselves to the Cielings, and other commodious Places, and then become Aureliæ; in which State and Places they hang secure from Wet and Cold, till the Spring and warmer Months, when they are transmuted into Butter-Flies.
[b] I shall not name any of the particular Species of Insects which live in this State, because they are very numerous, but only remark two Things observable in their Sagacity in this Matter: 1. That they are not driven by Stress of Weather to their Retirement, but seem as naturally to betake themselves thereto, as other Animals do to Rest and Sleep. For before the Approach of cold Weather, towards the End of Summer, we may see some Kinds of them flocking together in great Numbers within Doors (as Swallows do a little before they leave us) as if they were making ready for their Winter’s Rest. 2. That every Species betakes it self to a proper convenient Receptacle; some under the Waters to the Bottoms of Ponds; some under the Earth, below the Frosts; some under Timber, Stone, &c. lying on the Ground; some into hollow Trees, or under the Bark, or in the Wood; some into warm and dry Places; and some into dry alone.
[c] There are not many Kinds that thus provide their Food before-hand. The most remarkable, are the Ant and the Bee; concerning the first of which, Origen hath this Remark, viz. De solertiâ Formicarum, venturæ hyemi maturè prospiciontium, sibique invicem sub onere sessis succurrentium; quódque fruges arrosas condunt, ne rursus enascantur, sed per annum alimento sint, non ratiocinationem Formicarum in causâ debemus credere, sed almam matrem Naturam bruta quoque sic ornantem, ut etiam minimis addat sua quædam ingenia. Orig. cont. Cels. L. 4.
But as for Wasps, Hornets, Humble Bees, and other Wild-Bees, Vespæ Ichneumons, and divers others that carry in Materials for Nests and Food; this is only for the Service of their Generation, for hatching their Eggs, and nourishing their Young, not for Supplies in Winter; for they all forsake their Nests towards Winter, and retire to other Quarters, living (I conceive) without Food all that Time.
[d] Hos vermiculos [Formicarum Ova vulgò vocatos] incredibili Στοργὴ & curâ Formicæ educant, summamque dant operam, ne vel tantillum, quod spectet eorum vermiculorum educationem atque nutritionem, omittant; quem in finem fere semper eosdem ore circumportant secum, ne ulla eos lædet injuria. In museo meo nonnullas istius generis formicas, vitro terrâ repleto, conclusas cum Vermiculis istis adservabam; ibi non sine jucunditate spectabam, quo terra fieret in superficie siccior, eo profundiùs Formicas cum fœtibus suis prorepere: cùm verò aquam adfunderem, visu mirificum erat, quanto affectu, quanta solicitudine, quanta Στοργὴ omnem in eo collacarent operam, ut fœtus suos sicciore & tuto loco reponerent. Sæpiùs vidi, cùm aliquot diebus aquâ caruissent, atque cùm affuso tantillo aquæ terram illam humectarem, è vestigio à Formicis fœtus suos eo loci fuisse allatos, quos ibi distinctè conspiciebam moveri atque fugere humorem. Multoties fui conatus, ut eos Vermiculos ipse educarem, at semper conatum fefellit eventus: neque ipsas Formicarum Nymphas alimenti jam non indigas unquam sine ipsis Formicis potui fotu artificiali excludere. J. Swammerd. Epilog. ad Hist. Insect. p. 153.
Sir Edward King, who was very curious in examining the Generation of Ants, observes their great Care and Diligence, 1. About their Sperm, or true Eggs, which is a fine white Substance, like Sugar, which they diligently gather together into a Heap, when scattered; and on which they lie in Multitudes. (I suppose, by way of Incubation.) 2. I have observed, saith he, in Summer, that in the Morning they bring up those of their Young (call’d Ant-Eggs) towards the Top of the Bank: So that you may from 10 in the Morning, until 5 or 6 Afternoon, find them near the Top——for the most Part on the South-side the Bank. But towards 7 or 8 at Night, if it be cool, or likely to rain, you may dig a Foot deep before you can find them. Philos. Trans. Nᵒ. 23. or Lowthorp’s Abridg. V. 2. p. 7. and 9.