The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1877-05-04
HOW A GRAsSHOPPER ss
BORN.
HOW he Get. hi. wings. Eat. ana i


How he Gets his Wings, Eats ana Is
The Chicago Times has a very ella,
borate review of the grasshoppel
tribe and its exploits, from which we
clip the following:
| AS the egg approaches maturity the
dark eyes of the embroy are visible
| through the now transparent she'll
When emerged from the shell the In
FAINT 'hopPist is pale; it Is covered with
q white pellicl0 which must be cast
of before the insect can move freely.
Its color soon becomes spotted with
brown, and, save wings, its form Is
already that of its more adult stages.
IL Is said TO molt four times. During
the first three the wing cases, mere
pads behind the thOrax, gradually
grow; the perfect wings come with
the last mott, when it changes from
the pupa stage to the perfect insect,
ready TO produce its species and then
to die.
When about to acquire wings the
pupa crawls up some suitable support,
as q weed, With its hind feet, drawn
up beneath its body. The head Is
usually downward, the face yelled
with antenDe, and the general aspect
helpless. The thorax begins to swell
the skin Of the head and thorax splits
down the middle; the soft white body
appears more and more through the
cleft; the head energies from the old
skin; the new Rntenna are gently
drawn their cases, the new legs from
their ancient hose, and the new wings
from their sheaths, small, folded, and
crimped. A few minutes have pass
ed since the skin burst, and now all
its limbs, but the hinder pair, are
extracted. Soft and pulpy, while its
abdomen yet clings in its old skin
pushed nearly to the end, like a stock
ing slipped to the heel before remov-
ing. The fore legs rapidly stiffen-
holding on by these it draws its abdO-
men and its long hind legs from the
now shriveled and cast-off garment
clumsily, with new and unskiiled
members, it turns and climbs up the
straw beside its discarded skin; the
crooked limbs straighten and harden,
the wings expand, unfold, and the
image is perfected. In ten or fifteen
minutes from the beginning the wings
are expaned, and hang down like a
wet cloth. They harden, they fold
under the Strengthened covers, the
pale colors assume the darker mark
ings which mark the perfect insect.
In half, or three-fonrths eff an hour,
the transformation Is complete. In
another hour it will be ready to join
it comrades, hungry as one recovering
from a fever. The young insects are
gregarious. During damp weather
they all crowd togeather blackening
whatever surface they rest upon.
While they have food they are content
to stay and devOur it. When the sup
ly is exhausted, they propose to
travel for more. Without wings
they move slowly, and in this condt-
ton multitudes perish for want OF sus-
tenaDce. Many die from disease, from
other enemies, and when melting
from the attacks of their own kindred.
The grasshopper encounters numer-
Gus foes. Fowls and hogs fatten on
the invaders; prairie chickens and
quails are of inestimable service,
eating them in every stage from the
egg to the image. All small birds
assist, and reptiles of every kind take
their share. The most efficient help
in the work of destruction comes from
other insects. A species of mite is
known to eat the eggs voraciously
finding them in the ground. Another
fastens in great numbers on the adult
| hopper.