Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-06-23
For the Freeman.
A Chat with Farmers,
BY AGRICOLA
ABOUT NoXIoUS INSECTS.

We have spoken of the soventeen-year
clcada. In the winged state they are black,
with transparent wings and wing-covers.
Some other shades of color are found in
termingled Their wings expand from
two and half to three and half inches.
When the time of their visitation comes,
they appear in forests of oak in such i'm
mense numbers as TO bend and even break
down the limbs of the trees bv their
weight, and the woods are vocal with the
din of their drums. Such scenes have been
witnessed even in some parts of Massa-
chusetts. They prepare their nests and
lay their eggs upon small branches Of
of trees. The nests are Of sufficient size
to hold ten eggs, each one bored into the
bark. The eggs are dropped two ut a
time, and at short intervals, until the ten
are deposited. Then the insect removes
to another nest and repeats the operation
1t takes her on y about fifteen minutes to
prepare the nest and fill it with eggs.
Sometimes these nests contain fifteen OF
twenty eggs each, and are multiplied until
she has laid from four to five hundred
She has now become so much exhausted
that she is unable to fly and she soon dies
The ccada abounds most upon the oak.
but is often found on the other forest trees.
There are no trees or shrubs which are
free from their attacks. The pine and fiji
tree are more likely to escape than ang
other kinds. Soon after these eeos are
Matched the limbs Of the tree on which
they were deposited languish and die. In
this way whole orchards have been de
stroyed. These eggs are Matched in some
forty or fifty days. as some naturalists
have observed; others claim that they
hatch in much shorter time. The young
insect is grub about one-sixteenth of ar
inch long, and is provided with six legs
On the shoulder are little prominences in
the place of wings, and under the breast
is long beak designed for suction. Even
now these new born creatures are very
lively. They soon leave the tree by falling
from the end of the limbs to the earth
This is a remarkable instance of instinct
We wonder what induces the goslng tc
run to the water as soon as it is Matched
but it is quite as strange that the young
clcadas always make perilous descent
from the end of the limb to the ground
without stopping to count the cost or to
estimate the distance. This is blild in.
stinct; it is neither reason, foresight,
memory or experience that have anything
to do with their actions. All these com.
bined would fail this little creature if pos
sessed. Hence special instinct is grained,
such as is provided for no other animal.
As soon as they reach the ground they
burrow in the soil. They follow the roots
of plants, upon the juices of which they
now support themselves. 1t is believed
that the decline of the pear tree, which
has been observed for many years, can be
traced to the ravages of the larva of the ci
cada. During the long period ofthis subter.
ranean confinement, these grubs increase in
size and develop the embryo of their future
wings. As the stime of their tranforma.
ton approaches. they gradually come tc
the surface, forming as they pass along a
Hoosac tunnel" which is finally con-
nected and vanished SO as to be water
proof. This tunnel is about five.eighths
of an inch in diameter. This serves as a
burrow and home until the insect is ready
to make its exit. For several DAYS It
comes up to bask in the sunlight and enioy
the heat, and retires again at the approach
of night, or cold and rainy days. Thus
these grubs acquire strength for further
efforts and exposure. And when the prop.
Ell time arrives they issue from the ground
in the night, in great numbers, and crawl
up the trees and all surrounding objects
Now they make preparation TO cast off
their skins. BY special effort, q rent is
made on the back and the insect pushes
out its head and body. withdraws its