Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-06-21
The Seyenteen-Year Locust.

The Seyenteen.Iear Locust.
The temperance of the seyenteen-year
locust in several localities near this city
has awakened a new interest in this in
sect. The fact that an insect can remain
for seventeen years in the bowels of the
earth, sluggish, creeping worm, and
then rise to the surface, throw off, as it
were, its shroud and become endowed
with the power of flight, basking awhile
in the light and warmth of the sun, only
to perish, while leaving the eggs from
which another progeny is to come, and
pass through the same course of life, is
remarkable. We have every reason to
believe that these insects have appeared
in North America at regular intervals of
seventeen years for unknown ages, as they
have done since the first mention of their
appearance in the year 1647, when not
only the seventeen-year broOdS appeared
quite generally over the country, but the
thirteen-year locust in conjunction with
them, all occurrence which, according to
the calculations of Prof Riley, was re-
peated in 1868, and will not take place
again until the year 20S9.
These insects, however, which are so
generally known under the name of 6 To-
custs,' are in no way related to the genu-
inc locusts, but are only large flies, having
no mandible or jaws for biting or eating,
like the true locusts or grasshoppers. Their
proper name is cicada, and the seventeen
year species was named by Linn9us a.
cadG septendeclm; the thirteen-year spe-
cies, C.tredecina, and our common dog-daY
cicada or harvest-fiy, is the C.cdnGcuEGris.
There are also several other species inhab-
iting the United States, but only one which
remains in its ldrval state seven cen years.
A record has been kept by our entomol
ogists OF the appearance of this last-named
species, and it is now pretty well known
when and where they are likely to occur
in years to come; for it should be remem-
bered that there are several different
broods, and that they do not appear stimuli
taneously throughout the country. For
instance, there is brood which appeared
in Franklin, Bristol and Hampshire Coun-
ties, Massachusetts, in 1867, 1884, 1901,
1918, 1885, 1852 and 1869. Another brood
appeared in York County, Pa, in 1870,
and will appear again in 1887 The brood
which Ia now appearing in tho vicinity of
Schuylersville, Saratoga County, n. Y,
and on both sides of the Hudson down to
Staten Island, extending east to New
Haven, Conn, and west across New Jer-
sey into Pennsylvania, appeared in 1860
over the same region of country.
According to Prof. Potter, this same
brood has occurred at North Haven,
Conn, at intervals of seventeen years,
since 1924. If the records are correct,
these seventeen-year cicadas should also
appear this year in parts of Indiana,
Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina,
Virginia and Maryland. The brood
which appeared OF Long Island in 1868
will, of course, occur again In 1859, and
at intervals OF seventeen years thereafter.
As we have said, there are several distinct
broods of these seventeen-year cicadas,
and sometimes two overlap each other,
causing some confusion in the record OF
those who may not be aware of this fact.
Suppose, for instance, that some of the
brood now appearing on Staten Island
should fly over to Long Island-a thing
quite likely to occur-it is quite evident
that they would not come out with those
of 1885, but in 1890; consequently the
seventeen-year cicadas would appear at
an interval of every five years in the over
Tapped district. There are several such
instances of overlapping of broods re-
corded which cause no lurprlse to those
who are aware of the facts, although such
apparent irregularities have caused many
persons to altogether doubt the existence
OF seventeen-year broods. The thirteen
year cicada is discovery of Prof. Riley,
who was the first entomOlOgist to search
out their record, and prove beyond
doubt their existence in the Southern
States and portions of the Middle States.
AS we have already said, the cicadas
have no mandibles with which to bite or
masticate food; consequently all the wild
stories often circulated about this insect
devastating fields and forests by consum-
in tho 1aauaS pf nlautG are sheer non
sense. Still, trees are Injured by them,
and especially orchards which have been
planted on land infested by the grubs Of
this seventeen-year cicada and remained
fallow. The females lay their eggs in
assures, which they make in the soft
young twigs of trees and shrubs. The
incision is bored obliquely into the
branch, and gradually enlarged until Of
sufficient extent to hold from fifteen to
twenty eggs. The eggs are laid in double
rows, and after one fissure is filled, an
other is made short distance from 1t,
the process being repeated until the twlg
is scarified for several inches in length.
This cutting of the bark stops the flow OF
sap, and the twfgs generally wither and
die; the leaves turn brown, but still ad-
here, and these serve TO show how nu-
merous the cicadas have been and the ex-
tent of their damage to trees. All such
infested twigs should be cut off and
burned with their contents, especially in
orchards, or the same injury may be re-
peated in seventeen years, provided the
trees remain on the same ground.
In five or six weeks after the eggs are
laid, the larvae hatch and drop to the
ground, where they soon work their way
downward out Of the reach Of enemies,
feeding upon the roots of plants or yege-
| table matter in the soil, and remaining
safe beyond the reach Of plow or spade
| for he next seventeen years ~ Y. San.