American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-10-03
The Migra tory GrasshOpper.

G. NJ DODGE, of Glencoe, Neb, writes
! as follows to the Prairie Farmer concern
ing this predatory and destructive in
sect:
Nearly all who have written anything
about the migratory grasshopper (Calop-
teaus .SpFetus) unite in locating its head
quarters among the canons of the Rocky
Mountains. From these, we are told
upon good chronological authority, come
the swarms that occasionally invade the
States west of the Mississippi, and
whose progeny are said to be barren and
to fly away no one knows whittier, the
next invasion coming as before from the
Mountains. This theory is absurd be
cause the reserve force, supposed to re
main in the mountain canons, must con-
stantly suffer depletion and finally
become extinct through sending forth
such immense swarms that never return,
and whose barren offspring disappear
entirely. Having given some attention
to the study of insects, and having made
this grasshopper my particular study
during its visit here, am convinced that
its home should be sought upon the
plains of Texas and New Mexico or per
haps farther south, and that all broods
are equally capable of reproducing their
kind, as the following observations will
tend to show:
In 1878 immense swarms of this grass
hopper arrived here about the last of
May. They were flying in IL northerly
direction, and halted on account of wet
weather, and probably adverse winds
They remained, doing considerable dam
age to young wheat, for several days be-
fore continuing their journey to the
north. In the meantime they deposited
many eggs, which soon Matched; and the
young destroyed, or greatly injured,
nearly all the corn, oats and vegetables.
This much have upon popular report.
When | came here, Aug. 7, 1878, they had
had their wings for some time, but the
wind being constantly from the south
they remained until Aug 10, upon which
day-a fresh northerly breeze having
sprung up during the night-they nearly
all departed toward the south. From
time to time thereafter, whenever the
wind blew from the north on il clear day,
the sky would be filled for hours, rs with
snowflakes, by grasshoppers coming from
farther north and passing over. A few
occasionally alighted, and we had more
or less of this species until frost killed
the remnant. Some eggs were deposited
here, and these do not appear to have
been damaged by the winter This
spring was rather cold, and the eggs did
not begin to hatch until May 10, after
two weeks of warm weather. The larvae
came out rapidly, and were soon rather
common in wheat-ields and gardens.
l saw no perfect specimens until May
30 After the wind had blown very
strong from the south and southwest for
four consecutive days l found winged,
migratory grasshoppers quite plenty.
These must have come from some dis
lance south, and, if they had developed
no faster than the same species did here,
must have left the egg about April 10
n few days later, about June >, most of
those that were Matched here became
pup:c, in which condition they differ
from tire perfect insect in having small
pads instead of wings. June 20 some
of them cast the pupa skin, and in Il few
days all had wings. At this time they
were of a light color, and seemed, for
several days, quite unable 10 fly more
than Il few feet. They soon dccpcncd in
color and acquired strength, and about
June 30 nearly all rose and went south
with Il northcrly wind. After this date
the experience of the former season was
repeated. On every clear day, when the
wind blew from the northwest or north
east, more particularly the latter, innu-
mcrable numbers of these grasshoppcrs
passed over, going south, and up to the
present date multitudcs may be seen
when the wind and weather are favora-
BILE
Now, as this grasshopper is found to
come here from the south in spring, and
from the north in autumn, but never