Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-11-19

BY AGRICOLA.
ABOUT NoXIoUS INSECTS.

Grasshoppers are jumping insects and
have four joints to all their feet. They
have long brslle-formed antennp and II
piercer somewhat resembling II clmeter in
shape. Their wing covers slope down
wards at the side of the body, and overlap
on the top of the back. The males pro-
duce all the music by the friction OF their
wings. Most of these insects are of a
green color, and have wings and wing
covers resembling the leaves of trees upon
which they sometimes feed. Different
species have different habits, as well us
different forms.
One kind found in Massachusetts lives
only under stones and rubbish in the
woods. They have Il short, thick body
like cricket, but are entirely destitute Of
wings and wing covers.
Some live upon grass, on the low plants
in fields and meadows. They commit
their eggs to the earth, large number at
a time, and cover them with kind of
varnish which, when dry, forms thin
enclosure over them.
Others live upon trees and shrubs, and
deposit their eggs in regular rows upon
branches and shrubs.
w Z lllNC VIC mug ttttos Will IL Jttlc
green body and darker wings and wing
covers. During the daytime these insects
are silent, but at night they leave their
hiding places, and the males entertain
their mates with joyful music, repeating
their notes at intervals of II few minutes
for hours together The positions chosen
for their concerts are the upper branches
of the trees on which they live, and there
they keep up their noisy babble the live
long night. The notes and the answers
from neighboring trees read, haty.did,
she didf' This species is found in per-
feet state during the months of September
and October, at which time the female
lays her eggs.
We have another broad winged, green
grasshopper with wing covers narrower
than those of the katy-dids. 1t comes to
maturity during the months of September
and October, like the other species, and is
found upon trees, and when it flies it
makes u whizzing noise resembling
weaver shuttle The eggs of this species
are laid in the autumn, in double rows, on
the twigs Of trees and shrubs, seven or
eight eggs in each row.
There is still Il third species being of the
same color, but having still narrower
wing covers and some other points Of DIFF.
ference. These come to maturity earlier
in the season, and are always ready to do
their full share of mischief.
From the middle to the end of summer
our fields swarm with myrads Of grass
hoppers OF different ages. Their color is
green, and they have a brown stripe on
the top of the head, and a broader brown
stripe on the top of the thorax. When
mature they are about an inch in length.
The male is distinguished from the female
by two small black spots on each wing
cover. This kind produce their music in
the evening, which sounds much like the
swapping of the point of Il pen, only much
louder. This grasshopper much resembles
species found in the west and south.
There are several kinds which are so
nearly alike that it seems unnecessary to
mark the distinctions here.
There is one grasshopper which is dis
tinguished from all others by having a
conical head extending to blunt point
between the eyes, and it is called the
sword-bearer. 1t is more than an inch in
length, and including the extremities of
the wing covers. 1t is nearly twice that
length. lis color is pale green with
whitish head. A small tooth projects
downward from the under side of the
head. The thighs have five or six minute
spincs on the inner ridge of the under
side. The musical organ of the male is
on the left wing cover. The picrcer of
the female is more then an inch long.
The grasshopper has demonstrated his
destructive ability in this country TO an
extent, and especially Il. the
west During some dry seasons these in
sects have proved Il scourge even to the
New England farmers. They swarm in
the fields of grass and grain, and defy all
efforts to check their ravages. Could the
farmer have ready for service sufficiently
large flock of turkeys and other fowls, he
could wage successful war upon the in
vading army, and reap the additional adj
vantage of fattening the flock; but this
repellng force is not available. Hence
the evil must be endured.