There are so many unusual things about the world’s 600,000 varieties of insects that many books have been written about them. Approximately a third of the insects are beetles, some of which have appeared in our earlier articles—the living bomb, the sexton that buries dead animals, the ladybug, etc. Other unusual beetles are the cigarette beetle, that considers tobacco to be a great treat, and the drugstore beetle, that likes to live where it can eat cork, glue, mustard plasters and certain medicines.
But there are other unusual insects besides beetles. One of the most beautiful insects is the morpho butterfly which is covered with a million tiny, colored scales on each wing. Who do you think gave it such wonderful colors? Another unusual insect is the water strider that skims over water; its middle legs work like oars; the hind ones act like rudders, and the front ones are free to catch its prey. It has been created with air-filled “shoes” made of hair that allow it to float.
Another resident of ponds is the brown water bug. This one grasps other water insects in a hug of death while its sharp beak draws out the victim’s blood. When the female is ready to lay her eggs, she grips her mate tightly and glues the eggs onto his back. Then she leaves him to incubate them in the sun for many days, until the young hatch.
God has made some insects experts at camouflage. The ambush bug is so well hidden by its green and yellow colors that it cannot be seen until it moves. The dead-leaf butterfly is easily seen when flying, but looks like a dead leaf when resting. The long-horned grasshopper has wings which look like leaves that have been partly eaten away. There is one variety of the walking stick which has a green-brown body decorated with red, thorn-like growths so it looks like part of a brambly bush. Do you think they had to practice this camouflage? If we had space we could write about many more of these amazing creatures.
Certainly insects are among “the weak things of the world” that confound “the mighty.” They are not, as some teach, the result of a long evolution. The Bible plainly says: “God made... everything that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:2525And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:25). Each one He created was given every perfect detail at that moment.
He had a much greater joy when He brought mankind into the world, for He had His heart of love set on each of us even before the world was made. How sad that many have not responded to that love, nor realized that their sins made it necessary for the Saviour to die on Calvary. There He bore the sins of all who will admit their guilt and put their trust in Him. How wonderful of God to provide such a way of salvation! Have you accepted His Son, the Lord Jesus, as your Saviour?
ML-06/26/1983