Nature

Nature – Sea Stars

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Sea stars, also known as starfish, are widespread marine invertebrates which live on the bottom of the oceans from the tropics to the polar areas. There are over 1,800 species of sea stars, most occurring in shallow waters, but some occurring to abyssal depths of almost 20,000 feet. They range in size from ½ inch to over three feet in diameter and come in a variety of colors and patterns. Being closely related to brittle stars, sea urchins, sand dollars, and sea cucumbers, sea stars are in the phylum Echinodermata. Like all Echinoderms, sea stars have five-point radial symmetry, which means that their body plan has five sections arranged around a central disk. Most common species have 5 arms but some species can have 10, 20, or even up to 50 arms.

Sea stars have a hard endoskeleton located under their skin. Their tough skin is covered with small spines which help protect them from predators such as birds, fish and sea otters. The underside of sea stars is soft and vulnerable, consisting of a mouth in the center with a groove radiating out each leg that is covered in hundreds of tiny, flexible appendages called tube feet. Movement of the starfish is accomplished with the tube feet, which also have suction cups on the ends, which allow them to grip things strongly. At the end of each arm is a short sensory tentacle which is sensitive to chemicals and vibrations in the water, and a red photosensitive eyespot which senses light and movement. If a sea star loses an arm it will regenerate a new one. In many species, the lost arm will grow into a new sea star, especially if the lost arm retains part of the central disk. Sea stars lack blood but instead use a hydraulic-like water vascular system which is unique to Echinoderms.

Sea stars are carnivores, feeding mostly on bivalves, such as clams, mussels, and oysters, which they open with their strong arms and tube feet, but will eat just about anything that is too slow to move out of the way. One species, the crown of thorns sea star, feeds on coral polyps. Sea stars have the ability to digest their prey outside of their bodies which enables them to feed on prey that is too large for them to fit in their mouths. They accomplish this by using one of their two stomachs which is extended outside the body through the mouth, coming in contact with the captured prey, and digesting it.

Not only has God placed stars in the seas and in the heavens, but He has placed them in crowns for us which He is waiting to give us soon if we are faithful. “God is well pleased if those striving for eternal life aim high. There will be strong temptations to indulge the natural traits of character by becoming worldly wise, scheming, and selfishly ambitious, gathering wealth to the neglect of the salvation which is of so much higher value. But every temptation resisted is a priceless victory gained in subduing self; it bends the powers to the service of Jesus, and increases faith, hope, patience, and forbearance. … Let us aim in the strength of Jesus for the crown heavy with stars. ‘They that be wise shall shine as … the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever’ (Daniel 12:3).” That I May Know Him, 91. “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” Revelation 3:11.

David Arbour writes from his home in De Queen, Arkansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: landmarks@stepstolife.org .

Nature – The Giant Algae

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Growing in cold, clear, nutrient-rich marine environments are underwater forests of giant plants known as kelp. Kelp are large seaweeds (algae) belonging to a class known as the brown algae. There are about 300 different genera of kelp with the most widely recognized species being the giant kelps. The giant kelps are known for their fast growth rates, some species growing up to half a meter a day under ideal conditions and ultimately reaching heights of 30 to 80 meters. Like all algae, the physical structure or body of kelp is known as a thallus rather than a plant. The thallus consists of three basic structures: the holdfast, the stipe, and the fronds. The holdfast is a root-like mass that anchors the thallus to the sea floor. Unlike true roots, the holdfast does not absorb nutrients for the thallus. The main framework of the thallus is the stipe, which is analogous to a plant stalk. Growing out of the stipe, often along most of its length, are the fronds which are leaf-like structures where nutrient uptake and photosynthesis occur. Many kelp species have pneumatocysts, or gas filled bladders, that provide the necessary buoyancy for kelp to maintain an upright position in the water column.

Kelp forests occur worldwide throughout temperate and polar coastal oceans and even occasionally in tropical waters. A dependence upon light for photosynthesis restricts them to clear, shallow water, where they rarely grow any deeper than 15 to 40 meters. The larger forests are restricted to temperatures less than 68 degrees F. Kelp forests are among the most beautiful and biologically productive ecosystems on earth. These forests provide a unique three-dimensional habitat for marine organisms which in many ways resemble microenvironments associated with terrestrial forests. These microenvironments consist of a sunny canopy region, a partially shaded mid-story, and a darkened seafloor. Each of these microenvironments has its own unique associated organisms consisting of fishes, crustaceans, bivalves, gastropods, echinoderms, etc. The kelp is grazed by herbivores such as sea urchins and various fish which in turn provide food for carnivores such as starfish and larger predatory fishes. In some kelp forest, sea urchins will destroy the whole kelp forest ecosystem in a short period if numbers are not kept in balance by predators such as sea otters. Kelp forests even sometimes provide cover for Gray Whales when they are being pursued by Killer Whale packs.

Just as the kelp’s fast growth and great height are attained from rich nutrients and ideal environment, so similarly the Christian’s spiritual growth and heights attained are related to their environment and what they feed on spiritually. “If the follower of Christ would grow up ‘unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ’ (Ephesians 4:13), he must eat of the bread of life, and drink of the water of salvation.” The Review and Herald, August 31, 1911. “The soul needs food, and in order to get this food, the Word of God must be studied. …. The breathing of pure air is essential for the cure of disease. And it is no less essential that the atmosphere we breathe in the spiritual life shall be pure. This is essential for a healthy growth in grace. Breathe the pure atmosphere which produces pure thoughts and noble words. Choose Christian society. The Christian will not have spiritual health unless he is guarded in regard to his associations. … Every Christian who is indeed a Christian must grow. He must constantly increase in wisdom and knowledge. Day by day he must approach more nearly to the full stature of a man in Christ Jesus. In order to be a follower of the Master, he must grow.” Upward Look, 174.

David Arbour writes from his home in De Queen, Arkansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: landmarks@stepstolife.org.

Nature – Chia

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Chia is an annual wildflower in the mint family of the genus Salvia. There are two species of Chia, one occurring in the southwestern U.S. from California and Utah south to northwest Mexico and the other occurring in southern Mexico and Guatemala. Chia grows in sunny, dry open areas of plains, foothill woodlands, chaparral and sage scrub communities, and other arid environments where it prefers sandy to loamy soils that are near neutral in pH. It is one of the so-called fire following species, as it increases in abundance after a fire. The plant is thin and tall, up to 3 feet, with a cluster of blue flowers at the top of the stems. Flowers are small and tubular, surrounded by several bracts (specialized leaves). Chia is drought and salt tolerant.

The tiny, brownish, often mottled seeds of Chia are a valuable source of nutrients, protein and oil and are the highest known source of Omega 3 fatty acids. Chia was grown by the Indian tribes of Mexico and the southwestern U.S. for their seeds which were ground into flour and used to make biscuits, cakes and a mush called pinole. The seeds were also eaten roasted and had a pleasant nutlike flavor. Chia was a major crop in Mexico between 1500 and 900 B.C. and was still cultivated well into the 16th century A.D. Chia seed was valued so much by these tribes that it was used as a currency. Known as the running food, its use as a high energy endurance food has been recorded as far back as the ancient Aztecs. Aztec warriors were said to have subsisted on the Chia seed during their conquests. Native American tribes of the southwest took Chia seeds on journeys where a few seeds kept in the mouth and periodically chewed, would keep up their strength. One tablespoon of seeds was said to be enough to provide 24 hours worth of energy. Indians running from the Colorado River to the California coast to trade turquoise for seashells would bring only Chia seed for their nourishment.

Chia seed was also used for its extensive hydration properties. Containing a mucilaginous substance, due to soluble fibers, Chia seeds expand considerably into a gelatinous volume when moistened. Chia seed has the ability to absorb twelve times its weight in water. If you mix a spoonful of Chia in a glass of water and leave it 30 minutes, it will become an almost solid mass of gelatin. The Indians would soak the ground seeds in water to make a refreshing beverage that was said to have high thirst-quenching properties and was also used in this way to make alkaline desert water palatable.

Just as the ancient Indians relied on Chia seeds for energy and endurance for their travels and conquests, so we Christians are to rely on Christ for power and endurance to overcome our daily trials. “The great desire in this age of the world is for more power. I want more grace, more love, [a] more deep and earnest living experience. The Christian who hides in Jesus will have power without measure awaiting his draught upon it. Living faith unlocks heaven’s storehouse and brings the power, the endurance, the love so essential for the Christian soldier.” The Upward Look, 154. “Satan brings all his powers to the assault in the last, close conflict, and the endurance of the follower of Christ is taxed to the utmost. At times it seems that he must yield. But a word of prayer to the Lord Jesus goes like an arrow to the throne of God, and angels of God are sent to the field of battle. The tide is turned.” In Heavenly Places, 297.

David Arbour writes from his home in De Queen, Arkansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: landmarks@stepstolife.org.

Nature – Oilbirds

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Oilbirds are nocturnal forest birds native to northern South America from Trinidad south to Bolivia. They are related to the nightjars (nocturnal birds which include the Whip-poor-will) and are usually placed in the same order as they, but recent evidence suggests that they deserve to be placed in their own order, as they are sufficiently distinct from the nightjars. Unlike the nightjars, which are insectivores, Oilbirds are vegetarians, feeding mainly on the fruits of the Oil Palm and tropical laurels. They will also eat a wide variety of other fruits. They are the only nocturnal fruit eating bird in the world and have extremely powerful night vision, thanks to about one million light receptors packed into every square millimeter of their retinas. They will travel long distances in search of food and have been known to travel up to 93 miles in a night, but normally travel around 25 miles a night.

The most unusual thing about Oilbirds is that they nest deep in caves in total darkness. As good as their eyesight is, their eyes are useless in this total darkness. To navigate, Oilbirds echolocate, similar to bats, by producing a series of sharp audible clicks at a frequency of 7,000 cycles per second. They also produce a variety of harsh screams while in the caves. With their three foot wingspans, Oilbirds are capable of a hovering and twisting type flight which helps in navigating through the restricted areas of their caves. The birds are social and prefer to nest in large colonies on ledges over water where they lay two to four glossy white eggs. The naked young are fed a rich diet of Oil Palm fruits and become grotesquely fat, weighing up to half again as much as the adult birds. Local Indians and settlers used to harvest these fat young birds for their high oil content, hence the name Oilbird. They lose this baby fat when their feathers begin to grow in.

Just as the young Oilbirds feast on and store up the oil from the Palm Oil fruits that their parents feed them, so should we Christians feed on and store up the oil that our Heavenly Father has provided for us. “By the holy beings surrounding his throne, the Lord keeps up a constant communication with the inhabitants of the earth. The golden oil represents the grace with which God keeps the lamps of believers supplied. Were it not that this holy oil is poured from heaven in the message of God’s Spirit, the agencies of evil would have entire control over men.” The Southern Watchman, May 21, 1907.

“The capacity for receiving the holy oil from the two olive trees which empty themselves, is by the receiver emptying that holy oil out of himself in word and in action to supply the necessities of other souls. Work, precious, satisfying work—to be constantly receiving and constantly imparting! The capacity for receiving is only kept up by imparting.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1180.

“When the call shall come, ‘Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him’ [Matthew 25:6], those who have not received the holy oil, who have not cherished the grace of Christ in their hearts, will find, like the foolish virgins, that they are not ready to meet their Lord. They have not in themselves the power to obtain the oil, and their lives are wrecked. But if God’s Spirit is asked for, if we plead, as did Moses, ‘Show me thy glory’ [Exodus 33:18], the love of God will be shed abroad in our hearts. The golden oil will be given to us.” The Southern Watchman, May 21, 1907.

David Arbour writes from his home in De Queen, Arkansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: landmarks@stepstolife.org.

Nature – The Amazing Honeybee

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There are approximately 20,000 species of bees in the world of which only seven species are honeybees. Of these seven species, which include 44 subspecies, only two are domesticated. Honeybee domestication dates back to at least the time of the pyramids. The most commonly kept species of domesticated honeybee is the western or European honeybee which is native to Europe, Africa and Eastern Asia. This species was also brought to North America where there were no native honeybees. Agriculture depends greatly on the honeybee for pollination and without them we would see a significant decrease in the yield of fruits and vegetables. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that about one-third of the human diet is derived from insect-pollinated plants and that the honeybee is responsible for 80 percent of this pollination.

The direct value of honeybee pollination to U.S. agriculture was studied and found to be more than $14.6 billion.

Honeybees are social insects living in colonies of 20,000 to 80,000 bees. A colony consists of mainly non-fertile female worker bees, a single fertile queen bee and 300 to 3,000 male bees called drones. Honeybees have a highly organized society, with the worker bees sequentially taking on a series of specific chores during their short lifetime—housekeeper, nursemaid, construction worker, grocer, undertaker, guard and finally, after 21 days, they become a forager collecting pollen and nectar. Worker bees, which live only about 6 weeks in warm weather, can fly up to six miles and visit 50 to 100 flowers during a collection trip. The queen bee can live up to 5 years and lays up to 2,500 eggs per day.

Honeybees are best known for their production of honey which they make from nectar they collect from flowering trees and plants. They are the only insect that produces a food eaten by man. Honey is an easily digestible, pure food, and is the only food that includes all the substances necessary to sustain life, including enzymes, vitamins, minerals and water; and it’s the only food that contains pinocembrin, an antioxidant associated with improved brain functioning. Honey is also hydroscopic (moisture absorbing) and has antibacterial qualities. Eating local honey can fend off allergies. There are many types, colors and flavors of honey, depending on the source of the nectar; with clover honey being an example of one type that is very popular.

Like the honeybee’s honey which is so sweet to the taste and so good for us in many ways, so are God’s laws for us if we would keep them:

“In keeping God’s commandments there is great reward, even in this life. If we are obedient, our conscience does not condemn us. Our hearts are not at enmity with God, but at peace with Him. ‘The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honey-comb. Moreover by them is Thy servant warned, and in keeping of them there is great reward’ [Psalm 19:7–11]. ‘The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him, and His righteousness unto children’s children; to such as keep His covenant, and to those that remember His commandments to do them’ [Psalm 103:17, 18].” The Signs of the Times, January 25, 1899.

David Arbour writes from his home in De Queen, Arkansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: landmarks@stepstolife.org.

Nature – Sand Tigers

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The beetles represent the largest Order of insects, with over 250,000 described species. Within this Order is a family known as the tiger beetles, containing about 2,000 species worldwide. Tiger beetles are closely related to the ground beetles but differ from them by having the head wider than the thorax. They also have large bulging eyes, long slender legs and antennae, and large sickle-like mandibles. Many tiger beetles are quite elegant in their appearance, having intricate patterns on their elytra (modified wing covers). Others are iridescent bronze, blue, purple, or green and rival butterflies for their beauty. Their iridescent colors are the result of structural pigments and a secretion that gives an effect similar to a film of oil on water. Tiger beetles are found worldwide except in Antarctica, Hawaii, the Maldives and Tasmania. They prefer sandy or well drained soils in open areas where they run around on bare ground in search of prey. Some species are nocturnal but most are diurnal, preferring sunny, hot, environments.

Like their namesake, tiger beetles are voracious predators, preying on other insects and invertebrates, which they run down and capture with their enormous mandibles. They are fluid feeders and use what is called pre-oral digestion where they secrete digestive juices onto their prey while it is held and crushed by the mandibles, which have a special molar-like tooth to aid in this mastication. As the digestive juices break down the crushed tissues of its prey, it sucks in the juices. Tiger beetle larvae are also predators and live in holes in the ground where they ambush passing prey by popping out of the hole like a Jack-in-the-box, grabbing the prey and dragging it down deep into the hole where it is eaten.

Tiger beetles, at only .5 to 1.5 inches in length, are the fastest land insects on earth. One Australian species of tiger beetle was clocked at 5.6 miles per hour. Many of the species can run about 5 miles per hour. It is estimated that if a tiger beetle were the size of a human, it would be able to run 200–300 miles per hour. For their size, they are technically the fastest running land animals. Tiger beetles have large compound eyes, which give them a wide area of view for locating the movement of their prey. As the tiger beetles pursue their prey, they often stop to get their bearings and then proceed with the chase. This stop-and-go pursuit is necessary, as the tiger beetle’s vision shuts down after it accelerates toward prey. Moving too fast causes the beetles to not gather enough photons (illumination into their eyes) to form an image of their prey. So, the high speeds cause the tiger beetles to go blind, temporarily.

Unlike the tiger beetles that lose sight of their goal, we Christians are to fix our eyes on Christ and proceed forward without hesitation. “Will not our church members keep their eyes fixed on a crucified and risen Saviour, in whom their hopes of eternal life are centered? This is our message, our argument, our doctrine, our warning to the impenitent, our encouragement for the sorrowing, the hope for every believer. If we can awaken an interest in men’s minds that will cause them to fix their eyes on Christ, we may step aside, and ask them only to continue to fix their eyes upon the Lamb of God. … He whose eyes are fixed on Jesus will leave all. He will die to selfishness. He will believe in all the Word of God, which is so gloriously and wonderfully exalted in Christ.” Maranatha, 99.

David Arbour writes from his home in De Queen, Arkansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: landmarks@stepstolife.org.

Nature – The Amazing Cuttlefish

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cuttlefishCuttlefish are complex marine mollusks belonging to a class of animals which also includes the squids, octopuses, and nautiluses. Believed to be among the most intelligent of all the invertebrates, cuttlefish have a large brain-to-body size ratio. Cuttlefish look similar to squids but are more compact. They have a large head with a single fin running around the body behind the head. Encircling the mouth are eight short arms with suckers. Two longer prehensile tentacles, which can be withdrawn into pouches under the eyes, are used to capture their prey, which consist mainly of fish, crustaceans and other mollusks. Cuttlefish have a sharp parrot-like beak, which they use like a pair of scissors to cut open flesh. They also produce an ink for defense like octopuses. This ink was the original India Ink used in fountain pens and was used by artists as a pigment known as sepia.

Buoyancy in the water is controlled by an internal structure called a cuttlebone. This is porous and contains a gas and a liquid of which the ratio is regulated, similar to a submarine, enabling the cuttlefish to move up and down in the water column. Having eyes similar in construction to human eyes, cuttlefish eyes are among the most developed in the animal kingdom. The cuttlefish pupil is a smoothly curving W shape with two spots of concentrated sensor cells on the retina, one to look more forward, and one to look more backwards. Although they are color blind, they have an enhanced perception of contrast.

Cuttlefish are sometimes referred to as the chameleons of the sea, because they are masters of camouflage. They have amazing abilities to change color, light polarity and even the texture of their skin to camouflage themselves with their backgrounds for protection from predators and for ambushing their prey. These changes are also used to communicate to other cuttlefish. The transformation from one color or pattern to another can take less than a second and is controlled by the nervous system. The skin of the cuttlefish is covered with special cells that reflect light in many different colors. When excited, cuttlefish can change color, pattern and skin texture spectacularly, often flashing rapidly, through a whole gamut of colors, in just a few seconds. Males often engage in spectacular displays to attract a female, in which bands of color pass rapidly along the body like neon lights.

Like the cuttlefish, which changes its appearance for protection, so we need a change in our lives if we are to be saved. “Many a one who looks at himself in the divine mirror, and is convinced that his life is not what it ought to be, fails to make the needed change. He goes his way, and forgets his defects. He may profess to be a follower of Christ, but what does this avail if his character has undergone no change, if the Holy Spirit has not wrought upon his heart? The work done has been superficial. Self is retained in his life. He is not a partaker of the divine nature. He may talk of God and pray to God, but his life reveals that he is working against God.

“Let us not forget that in his conversion and sanctification, man must cooperate with God. ‘Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,’ the Word declares; ‘for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.’ Man can not transform himself by the exercise of his will. He possesses no power by which this change may be effected. The renewing energy must come from God. The change can be made only by the Holy Spirit. He who would be saved, high or low, rich or poor, must submit to the working of this power.” The Review and Herald, July 7, 1904.

David Arbour writes from his home in De Queen, Arkansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: landmarks@stepstolife.org.

Nature – The Mighty Oak

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An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus that is found mainly in the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. There are about 600 species worldwide consisting of both deciduous and evergreen species. A few are found in the tropical regions of Asia and the Americas. The oaks are subdivided into five groups: the red oaks of the Americas; the white oaks of Europe, Asia, and North America; the Hungarian oak and its relatives of Europe and Asia; the Turkey oak and its relatives of Europe and Asia; and the Canyon Live oak and its relatives of southwestern North America. Most oak trees take hundreds of years to reach maturity. One tree in Windsor is over 800 years old and was planted during the reign of King John. There are others known to be over 1,000 years old. Oak trees can get quite large also, with circumferences over 60 feet, and heights pushing 100 feet, with crown spreads of over a quarter acre in size.

Oaks produce flowering structures called catkins in the spring and a nut called an acorn in the fall. Acorns take 6 to 24 months to mature, depending on the species. Acorns are rich in nutrients containing large amounts of protein, carbohydrates, and fats as well as the minerals calcium, phosphorus, and potassium, and the vitamin niacin. They also contain tannins, which are bitter to the taste and poisonous to some domestic animals. Many wild animals such as squirrels, deer, bears, and pigs consume large amounts of acorns and birds such as jays, woodpeckers, and turkeys eat their share also. Native American Indians used to gather the acorns in the fall and soak them in water to leach the tannins out, then dried and ground them to make flour.

Oak wood is famous for its great strength and hardness and is especially valued for shipbuilding, flooring, furniture, railroad ties, barrels, tool handles, and veneer. Like the acorn, the wood of the oak is high in tannins, which helps protect it against insect and fungal attacks. The oak tree is considered to be one of the most significant and magnificent trees in the whole world. Transcending times and cultures, the oak has symbolized strength and endurance, and for this reason, it has been chosen as the national tree of the United States, England, and several other countries. Overall the oak tree is a very strong and sturdy wood, and represents many things, including that of the concept of longevity and of wisdom, and is a tree that was truly designed to stand the test of time.

There are spiritual lessons to be learned from the strength and size of the mighty oak. “You should learn to rely upon your own energies and upon your heavenly Father. Youth who have been thrown upon their own resources will generally put forth the effort necessary to develop and invigorate their moral and intellectual energies. There are too many youth like the swaying willows that grow beside the meadow brook. You want to make your life the sturdy oak, springing from hardy soil amid the clefts of the rock. These have battled with the storm and tempest and yet grown into giant proportions. The great men who have done service to our country were not reared in the lap of luxury. Our greatest men are self-made.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 19, 192. “When Solomon should have been in character as a sturdy oak, he fell from his steadfastness under the power of temptation. When his strength should have been the firmest, he was found the weakest of men.

“From such examples as this we should learn that watchfulness and prayer are the only safety for either young or old.” The Retirement Years, 178.

David Arbour writes from his home in De Queen, Arkansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: landmarks@stepstolife.org.

Nature – Crayfish

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Crayfish are freshwater crustaceans resembling small lobsters. They go by a variety of different regional names such as crawfish, crawdads, mudbugs, and yabbies. Crayfish are found around the world with two families occupying The Northern Hemisphere and one family The Southern Hemisphere. There are 540 species of crayfish worldwide, with 400 of these being found in North America alone. The southeastern United States has the richest diversity of crayfish with over 330 species. Crayfish are mostly found in brooks and streams but also occur in lakes, marshes, swamps, and ponds. They come in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. Some species are very colorful, sporting red, blue, or yellow coloration or a combination of these, but most are a shade of brown. Others, such as the cave crayfishes, are colorless (white) and blind. Most crayfish are 2 to 6 inches in length, but a few get quite large, such as the Tasmanian giant freshwater crayfish which can reach a length of 31 inches and weigh up to 11 pounds, making it the largest freshwater invertebrate in the world. Unlike most species of crayfish which only live 2 to 3 years, the Tasmanian giant can live up to 40 years.

Some crayfish species live in holes in the ground in stream banks and moist soils, burrowing down as deep as five feet until they reach water and coming out at night to search for food on the surface. Their burrows are often marked with chimneys made of mud balls they bring to the surface while digging. There are three categories of burrowing crayfish: primary burrowers, which spend most of their lives in and around their burrows; secondary burrowers, which spend much of their lives in burrows but will frequent surface waters during wet periods, and tertiary burrowers, which generally live in surface waters but will retreat into simple burrows for reproduction and to avoid desiccation and freezing.

Crayfish are mainly nocturnal, hiding under rocks and debris during the day and coming out at night to feed. They are an important link in the aquatic food chain, being fed upon by a multitude of other animals including fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals. Being omnivores, they feed on a variety of plants and animals and play an important role as scavengers, promoting decomposition and recycling. Crayfish sport a pair of chelipeds (pincers) for capturing food and for defense, and should they lose one to a predator, they are able to grow it back. They also are able to escape their enemies by back flipping their fan-shaped tail which propels them backward, flinging a cloud of mud at would-be predators.

In His infinite plan, God appointed part of the animal kingdom to act as scavengers like the crayfish. His plan, however, was not for us to be scavengers, physically or spiritually. “Those who live upon the husks of others’ failings and deficiencies, and who gather to themselves the unwholesome miasma of their neighbors’ neglects and shortcomings, making themselves church scavengers, are no advantage to the society of which they form a part, but are an actual burden to the community upon which they inflict themselves.

“The church is in need, not of burdens, but of earnest workers; not of faultfinders, but of builders in Zion. Missionaries are really needed at the great heart of the work—men who will keep the fort, who will be true as steel to preserve the honor of those whom God has placed at the head of His work, and who will do their utmost to sustain the cause in all its departments, even at the sacrifice of their own interests and lives, if need be.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 194.

David Arbour writes from his home in De Queen, Arkansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: landmarks@stepstolife.org.

Nature – Army Ants

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Army ants, also known as legionary ants and driver ants, are a group of over 200 species native to Central and South America and Africa. They are known for their aggressive predatory foraging groups known as “raids” which involve huge numbers of ants sweeping through an area attacking prey en masse. An army ant colony can contain up to 700,000 ants consisting of a queen, drones (males), workers, and soldiers. The workers do the hunting for food and nursery duties, and the soldiers protect the workers, queen, and nest. The soldiers are much larger than the workers and sport giant mandibles. Army ants travel about as a whole colony looking for prey and can form a carpet up to 20 meters (65.6 feet) wide. The ants can consume up to 100,000 prey animals each day.

The army ants do not construct permanent nests but build a temporary living nest with their bodies, held together with their mandibles and hooked feet, called a bivouac. The bivouac is built in hollow trees or in burrows dug by the ants. It is a well-organized structure, in the shape of a ball consisting of many passageways and chambers where food, the eggs and larvae, and the queen are kept. The older workers are located on the exterior of the nest while the younger workers are in the interior. At the slightest disturbance, soldier ants gather on the roof of the nest ready to defend it with their giant mandibles, and some species have stingers.

Army ants have two phases of activity: a nomadic (wandering) phase and a stationary phase. During the nomadic phase, most species move during the day (a few species are nocturnal) capturing insects, spiders, and small vertebrates. At dusk they form their nest, which changes location almost daily. During their foraging they are accompanied by birds known as antbirds and antwrens and numerous other birds, which feed on the invertebrates the ants flush out. During the stationary phase, which begins when their larvae pupate, they stay in one place for two or three weeks while the queen is fed extra in preparation for egg laying. After the pupae emerge and the queen lays her eggs, the colony resumes its nomadic phase.

“Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.” Proverbs 6:6. “The ants teach lessons of patient industry, of perseverance in surmounting obstacles, of providence for the future.” Child Guidance, 59.

“The wisest of men may learn useful lessons from the ways and habits of the little creatures of the earth. … The ants, which we consider as only pests to be crushed under our feet, are in many respects superior to man; for he does not as wisely improve the gifts of God. The wise man calls our attention to the small things of the earth: ‘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’ [Proverbs 6:6–8]. ‘The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer’ [Proverbs 30:25]. We may learn from these little teachers a lesson of faithfulness. Should we improve with the same diligence the faculties which an all-wise Creator has bestowed upon us, how greatly would our capacities for usefulness be increased. God’s eye is upon the smallest of His creatures; does He not, then, regard man formed in His image and require of him corresponding returns for all the advantages He has given him?” Testimonies, vol. 4, 455, 456.

David Arbour writes from his home in De Queen, Arkansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: landmarks@stepstolife.org.