The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-06-21

sect. The fact that an insect can remais
for seventeen years Id tile bowels bf til,
earth, d sluggish, creeping worm, ant
then rise 10 the surface, throw off, as i
were, its shroud and become endowed
with the power of flight, basking awhile
in the light and warmth of the sun; onl,
to perish, while leaving the eggs from
which another progeny is to come, and
pass through the same course of life, il
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 theiI
appearance in the year 1647, when MOI
only the seventeen year broods appeared
quite generally over the country, but the
thirteen year locust in conjunction with
them, an occurrence which, according to
the calculations of Prof. Riley, was re.
peated in 1868, and will not take place
again until the year 2089.
These insects, however, which are SO
generally known under the name of g To-
Gusts" are in no way related to the genu-
inc locusts, but are only large files, 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 Linn@us l.
cadG septendecim;; the thirteen-year spe-
cies, C.tredecim, and our common dOgay-d
cicada or harvest-fly, is the C.canicular4s
There are also several other species inhab
iting the United States, but only one which
remains in its larval state seven cen years.
A record has been kept by our entomol-
ogists OF the appearance of this lastnamed
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
in Franklin, Bristol and Hampshire Coun-
ties, Massachusetts, in 1767, 1884, 1901.
1878, 1885, 1852 and 1862 Another brood
in York County, Pa. in 1870,
and will appear again in 1887. The brood
which is now appearing in the vicinity OF
Schuylersville, Saratoga County, N. Y,
and on both sides Of the Hudson down to
Staten Island, extending east to New
l9ssEffno Cpp99n spd. vest across New Jer-
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 1885, 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
lapped district. There are several such
instances of overlapping Of broods re-
corded which cause NO lurprise 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 Ni]d
stories often circulated about this insect
devastating fields and forests by cQnsum-
ing the leaves of plants 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-y year cicada and remained
fallow. The females lay their eggs in
assures, which they make in the son
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 eggss The eggs axe laid in double
rows, and after one dssure u filled, an
other is made short distance from it,
the process being repeated until the twig
Is scarifed for several inches in length:
This cutting Of the bark stops the 1ow OF
sap, and the twigs 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 10 trees. AL such
infested twigs should be cut of and
burned with their contents, especially In
orchards. or the same Injury may be re-
peated in seventeen yea.s. provided the
frees remain ON the same ground.
In I'VE or six weeks after the eggs are
laid, the larve 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 vege-
table matter in the soil, and remaining
safe beyond the reach of plow or spade
for the next seventeen years.-N. r. Sun.