The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1868-07-02
Correspondence Cincinnati Commercial.
The SeYenteen-Year LOcusts.
HILLsBoRo, June Is. 1858

.
send you some memoranda from my
fruit journal of 1855, in relation to
the t'seventeen-year lOcusts, as it Is
popularity called, which appeared that
year in Highland and the adjoining
counties, and which is now making
some noise in the Miami Valley. It
/ has its Well-settled periods Of appear
| ing Gin force" but stragglers are
found every year, though have seen
but four on my place the present sea-
son. 1 had observed its ravages in
1898, when had but little to be In
jured but in 1855 having a few acres
of very choice young fruit trees, felt
a strong interest in the subject, and
took daily notes Of its appearance and
progress. 1t is entirely misnamed, as
it has no resemblance to the locust Of
the old world in appearance or habits.
The true locust of this country, or the
insect that comes nearest to it, is the
grasshOpper which is so destructive to
vegetation, west Of the Mississippi,
especially in the Rocky Mountains and
! Utah.
In the years 1862, 1868 and 1864,
was stationed with my regiment, the
Eleventh Ohio Cavalry, in that section,
having my headquarters at the South
Pass, the first year, and ut Fort Lara
mie the last two.
In 1864, the troops suffering severely
from scurvy, we undertook to raise
vegetables, as a corrective, and for
that purpose inclOsed about two acres,
for post garden, and about ten for
the use Of such companies as might be
regularly, or casually, at the fort.
The ground selected was in the valley
of the Laramie River, adjacent to the
fort, the soil rich and friable, and
needing nothing but irrigation to pro.
duce the finest crops, and well sup
piled with water in the sand and
gravel within a few feet. 1t was
planted with beets, radishes, lettuce,
turnfps, potatoes, cabbage, squaW
corn, cucumbers, &C., and gave every
promise of success, until August, when
the grasshOpper made their appearance.
They came from the East in clouds,
usually moving from five to ten miles
day, staid for six or eight days, and
longer, if they liked the supplies, and
cleaned US thoroughly out. They
devOured every thing above ground,
and followed root crops underneath
the surface, when they could do so.
A few turnips, radishes; and like veg
etables, were saved, by covering them
with earth, and uncOvering them
when the enemy had left. To have
attempted to drive of or destroy them
would have been useless, for their
numbers and habits made it impOs-
sible. Grass, weeds, and all small
vegetation suffered in like manner.
In 1862, they appeared at South
Pass, and the present year they are
reported in Utah. They have evil
IDENTIFY their periods of visiting par
ticular locations, in destructive num-
bers, though ! am not aware that
their periods have been accurately set
tied by observation, but they may be
expected to be permanent pests in that
region. Though smaller than the
IOcusts of Asia and Africa, their habits
are the same.
THE ''sEVENTEEN-YEAR LOCUsTs'
Began to come out of the ground on
my place, near HiIIsbOr0, May 27,
1855. During thespring, they had been
often found in a grub state, In digging
pOst-hOles and other excavations, but
had not before come to the surface.
When they first came out of the
ground they were nearly white, and
would crawl feebly up the nearest
weed, stick, fence, tree or other elevat-
ed object, the shell would soon burst
open along the back and head, and
the locust emerge in perfect size aud
form, and soon crawl up higher, leav.
ing the shell attached to the spot
where it was shed. The ground was
left full Of little round holes, about the
size of the insects body, in many
places at least a dozen in a square foot.
They came up upon land which was
timbered in 1898, the period of their
last appearance here, and no where
else, which shows that the grub mOv-
ed very little during the seventeen
years.
After some hours exposure to the
light and air, their wings and body
would change from a Whitish color to
a brown, and the insect would begin
to take short flights and TO sing. In
about a week they were all up and in
full strength, filling the trees, and fly
ing swiftly and strongly through the
air for long distances.
Their singing would commence
shortly after sunrise and continue till
near sunset, and was loudest in the
middle Of the day, and in clear, hot
Their numbers were so great that
there was no cessation in the noise,
and it was so loud that nothing else
could be heard.
They began to sting, on my place,
The 18th of June, though l heard of
some stinging elsewherea few days be-
fore. To save my small fruit tees, l
children to catch them,
which was easily done very early in
he morning or late in the evening, or
IN wet day, by taking them singly
rom the tree between the thumb and
Orefnger, giving a sharp pinch and
hen drop I'm basket or bucket. In
his way tens of thousands were de-
itrOyed, and though paid but five cents
the work was quite profit
ible to those employed. In o good
ime they could be gathered as fast as
forty OR fifty being taken
rom an apple tree OF pear tree six or
even feet high. Mere shaking of a
rec was useless, as they would fly to
mother and renew their work. In tie
irst part of the season they were very
at, and birds, pigs and poultry ate
hem greedily, but toward the last
hey became mere empty shells.
Their period of winged life was about
TX weeks, during which time they
.te nothing, but existed from their
years accumulation Of fat.
Apparently, they were without diges-
i've organs, and their only mission TO