Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1868-07-09
Misrell
The Locust Ycar-IIiStOry Of
The IuCust-Thc Present
Visffa(iOn. y.y -iH ~Hf aNf
From the New Albany Commercial


From the New Albany Commercial.
In answer to many inquiries in reference
to the present visitation of locusts-a visi-
tation that promises TO exceed, in the
abundance of insects any for the past cen
tury--we have condensed, from various
authorities, the following facts. Many
have supposed that the insects with which
the woods and fields of the country, the
trees and gardens of the city are so rapidly
filling, were the cicada or American har
vcstfy. This however is misappreher-
sion. 1t is the real locust that is now up
on rs. The cicadc subsits on the leaves ol
trees and other vegetable substances.
They are furnished with hard probossis
capable of boring wood. This insect is
common in some sections OF the country,
appearing annually.
Our present visitors are what arc known
as the seventeen year lOcusts, from the
fact that they make their appearance 10
certain sections of the United States, and
probably elsewhere, every seventeenth
year. The seventeen year locusts begin TO
emerge from the ground about tie latter
cnd-of April; but if the season bc cold and
backward, they sometimes do not begin to
appear until about the middle Of May, as
was the case this year. On their first conf
Ing out OF the ground, they are in the pupa
state. but the back soon bursts and the
perfect locust soon appears. They begin
10 lay their eggs about the end of May or
in the second week in June, according TO
the beat of the season. These eggs az
deposited in close lines of inches long.
in the tender twigs of trees. AS soon as
the young attain their growth in the grub
state they fall TO the ground, and make
their way two or three feet underneath the
surface, i'm order to undergo their change
into the pupa form. Soon after attaining
their last transformation. they arc found n
great numbers over large districts of coun-
try. They appear every seventeen years.
though it is probable, according TO some
writer's, that the periods of their return
vary, according TO the heat of the climate
and other circumstances. II is stated by a
writerthat these insects have been known
to make their appearance in Philadelphia,
Boston and other cities in great numbers,
penetrating from their subferrancan res
iencc between bricks of a pavement. Not
witlistanding the usual idea these seven
teen year locusts are seldom in any way
injurious to vegetation except in the dam
age done by the female in dcpositing he
eggs. We distinctly remember the visit
alton Of these insects in 1851. At th; I
time we resided in Washington county
this State, and frequently took occasion TO
so TO the country, for the purpose OF OBJ
serving their habits. We have seen
fields Ofyoung corn, oats and wheat liter
ally alive with them, the ground being
completely covered 10y them and vet not a
corn blade or spear of wheat OF oats were
injured. In the woods, however, IL was
different. The tendcrcst leaves were
nearly all eaten from the trees, particularly
Ou tbVoS hNSo bi'Ou W iite "a fht iea'NS WIZ
slightly acidulatcd. The seventeen year
locusts are the favori,c food of various
species of animals. Immcrsc numbers are
destroyed by hogs before they emerge
from the ground; and they arc also, in
their perfect state, eagerly dcyOurcd Ey
| squirrels. All our old hunters will call to
mind how abundant and fat the squirrels
were in 1851. Most of the larger birds
feed upon these locusts and the North
western tribes OF Indians consider them a
rare dclicacy when fried. The locust il
never found in the pine woods. They will
neither light upon or deposit their eggs in
the pine tree. The locusts commenced
making their appearance in this part Of the
State abou; the 18th Of May. Their mum
bers have been steadily increasing every
day since and they will probably remain
with us until the middle of July or first
of August, when they will disappear as
suddenly as they made their advent.