Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-05-30
THE sEvENTEEN.YEAR LOCusrs.
SwarminE Over the Land-Intercstinx
Facts From Its Natural History
Early settlers who Regarded Che APP
Pearance OF the Locust ~ an Evil

True to announcement the seventeen-year
cicada insect Is beginning to rise every
where from the ground, and in all portions OF
the city where there are trees that were planted
over seventeen years ago, they are coming up
even through the brick sidewalks. The natural
history of this insect will interest our readers
at this time. 1t is succinctly given by Prof.
Riley, the entomologist, as follows:
"Fhe appellation OF locust was bestowed upon
1t by the early settlers of this country from an
erroneous notion that 1t was identical with one
Of the plaques of Egypt recorded in biblical
lore. This idea took such forcible possession of
the Puritanic mind that the shrilling of
n THESE insects Was Thought to De P,
a-a-roah! Its habits being entirely I'M
known in those early times, It's sudden APP
pearance In prodigious numbers al such long
intervals naturally caused il to be regarded as "a
supernatural visitant sent for the two-fold pur-
pose of plague and warning. Hence the
popular superstition constituting the two w.like
markings on the tips Of the upper wings into n
prophecy of war Tirnid people may rest as
saey
tus of the males may be likened to pair OF
kettle-drums. These drums are formed of con-
folded into fine plaits and located in cavities
behind the thorax. Muscles are attached in
rernaliy to these plates ties by the contraction and
nately frightened and loosened, the effect being
u rapid succession Of shrili rafting sounds. The
lhstcS Only possess tlSSe musical organs, the
females being absolutely mute-a fact which
was embodied in the ancient rhyme,
Happy the cicada lives.
For they all have voiceless wives
"The body Of the female is provided with a
com plicated pfercer and ovipoSitor. consisting
of u pair of tiny, double-edged saws aud spear
pointed borer, which plays between them.
When not in use this instrument is folded into
longitudinal groove on the under surface of
the abdomen. Both sexes have sharp beak,
OF hattytettum, with which they pierce the bark
OF shrubs and trees and extract the small guam
tlty of sap which constitutes their sole nourish-
ment.
"The Periodical Cicada energies from the
ground and attainS its wings during the latter
part of May or early in June. in the latitude Of
several days in advance of the females, and
perishing propOrtionately early. Immediately
after pairing the females begin the laborious
process OF ovipoSition, the result of which is the
severe and sometimes fatal summer pruning of
our forest and fruit trees. With her oVipositor
the female penetrates the twigs of trees, and in
SertS therein two rows Of eggs obliquely placed.
The eggs are one-tweifth of an inch in length, of
pearl-Whte color. and taper at each end TO an
obtuse point They hatch in about six weeks,
usually before the branch containing them
active, its motions resembling those ef an ant
1t soon casts itself fearlessly from the highest
tree-tops, its Insignificant weight admitting Of
its being waited gently downward ny the
breeze. Impelled 10y instinct, it at once bur
rows under ground in search of rootletS, upon
whose emulation and sap it subsi-ts, peneirat-
ing deeper and deeper into the earth in follow
ing their course. 1t has many times been
found at depth of from ten to twelve feet"