Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-12-10
A Chat with Farmers.
ABOUT NOXIoUs INSECTS.
BY AGRICOLA.

ABOUT NOXIOUS INSECTS.
We come now to examine the locusts as
q distinct species of the grasshopper genus.
Their wing covers are long and narrow,
md lay obliquely along the side of the
body, overlapping and forming sloping
roof Their antenn@ are shorter than
hose of most grasshoppers and are of the
same size at both ends. Their feet have
hrcc joints only. They have four short
wedge like percers or " nippers " as they
are used. instead of one for each cricket
md grasshopper. These four percers are
used when the insect is preparing to lay
her eggs, TO- perforating the earth in
which they are to be deposited. The
males manufacture a kind of music, not
like the cvmbals ami tabors of the crickets
and grasshoppers, but more like violin,
using their legs for the bows and the
veins of their wing covers for strings. The
locust has two fiddles. but never PLAYS but
me at once. 1t is said that in Spiin, peo-
Pile of fashion keep these insects in cages
for the sake of their music. The locust's
thighs upon their hind legs are shorter
and more muscular than gra>shoppers',
hence they leap better. The legs from
below the knee are armed with strong
sharp spines, arranged in two rows. which
seem to be provided for two purposes, viz:
for defense and to aid locomotion. Locusts
fly much better than grasshoppers and in
flying they make loud whzzng noise.
When the migrating locusts of Asia start
nff in large numbers the noise resembles
the rushing of whirlwind. The destruc-
lion by locusts in he East has been very
h., al k,f
fill the air darken the sky. and where they
alight they strip the earth Of vegetation,
reducing the most fertile fields to barren
wastes. Famines and pestilence have
sometimes followed in their train The
ravagcs of locusls in America are not so
serious us in the eastern continent, yet
they have not unfrequently laid waste
large fields and subjected the cultvators
of the soil TO great loss even here. The
small red-legged species often take possess
sion of our salt marshes, and after they
have consumed all the grass, they betake
themselves to the uplands and feast upon
the grass, corn and other vegetables until
checked by frost or natural death, Some
of our readers may be surprised at the
above statement. They have known grass
hoppers to do much damage to the natur-
ing crops, but have never heard of the
locustS in connection with these ravages.
The reason for this mistake is the fact that
these locusts are improperly called grass
hoppers. At different times they have
made great ravages in Maine, New Hamp-
shire, Vermont and Massachusetts. Their
favorite food is clover and maize. OF the
latter they devour the silk which prevents
the kernel from coming to perfection. But
they are not confined to these kinds of
food. They devour every kind of vegetable,
even the tobacco plant. Why should they
not chen tobacco rs we'll as man? And
they have in some instances devoured the
garments Of laborers hung up in the field,
and assailed the board fence! AS the time
approaches for their disappearance, they
collect in vast swarms and take extensive
flights in the air. For what purpose these
excursions are made is not known, for
they always return to their feeding
grounds to die.
In 1888 these red-lesged locusts became
so numerous in the vicinity of Baltimore,
Md, that the negroes were employed to
drive them from the gardens and grounds
with rods, as they would drive flock of
fowls. There are number of species of
these locusts in this country. They are
the most destructive during the months of
August and September, but do not entirely
disappear until october.
We might give description Of all the
different kinds of locusts, but the general
reader would not be especially interested,
or pro6ted by such information. By what
means Can they be checked and destroyedp
This is question of practical Importance.
In France people make a business, at GER
tain seasons of the year. of collecting
locusts and their eggs. Rewards are Of
fered to induce the prosecution of this
work. The eggs are turned out of the
ground in little masses, and the locusts
are caught in kind of net drawn over
the grass. When taken, these eggs and
Insects are destroyed. Similar methods
have been employed in New England TO
stop the ravages of these locusts. In 1926
one farmer in Epson, N. H., caught in his
own and neighboring field. in four
hours. nearly six bushels OF them He
used two sheets attached TO each other,and
fixed to pole. This WAS done in the
evening. After the locusts were safely
confined in bags, they were immersed in
boiling water, and when dead the insects
were given to the hogs. Here comes in
the application of the proverb, There is
no great loss without some small gain
Moving the grass early is smother
method of preventing the ravages of
locusts. If the field is moved about the
first of July, the young insects, now with
out wings, will be unable to migrate and
hence must die on the ground for the
want of food. This must be generally
adj pied throughout the neighborhood, to
prove effectual Violent winds and storms
are a surer means for their destruction,
but these are not at our command. Some
other insects kill them; birds and domestic
fowls devour them. Each farmer will do
the best he can to get rid of the pests.