St. Landry democrat., 1889-07-27
The Cicada,

In answer to inquiries that have been
made about the periodical cicada, usually
called the seventeen-year locust, which
has been announced to appear this year
through quite large extent of country, it
may be said there are two races of these
insects, the thirteen year and the seven
teen year race. Only the male insects
have the organs Of sound perfectly devel
oped. These may be described IS must
cal apparatus on the under side of the alb
domen. The existence of the thirteen
year broods was announced by Prof. Riley
in 1868 in addition to the seventeen year
broods,s one of which has been recorded
ever since the earlier part of the seven =
teenth century.
There are two distinct forms in both
races-a large one and small one-the
former being the most numerous. The
fact that seventeen or thirteen years are
respectively required for the underground
development of this insect, according to
the race, is fully established, one of the
first septendecim broods recorded having
been observed every seventeen years since
1715. There are no differences observable
in the insects constituting the different
broods other than the difference in time
required for underground development 1t
is said that larva has been found twenty
feet below the surface of the ground.
As the time approaches for the issuing
If the pupa it gradually rises nearer I'D
nearer the surface, and for year or two
may be found within foot or two of the
top of the soil. Records show that their
numbers have decreased, owing probably
to the clearing of the land, the building of
towns and cities and the increased num-
bers of domestic animals in the fields and
woods.
Reports of injuries caused by the sting
of the locust have been made, but it is not
probable that the .ovipositor is used for
singing human flesh. AS stated by the
government entomologist in his report for
1885, the cicada, both of the seventeen
and thirteen year races is known to occur
in all the States east of the plains, except
| ing the northern portion of New England,
Northern Michigan and the whole of Min
| nesota.
The most remarkable thing about this
species is the long time required for its
| maturity. The female deposits her eggs
| in the twigs of trees, where the larva
hatch in about six weeks, when they drop
to the ground and bury themselves, and
here they remain until the seventeenth or
thirteenth year following. There are so
many distinct broods of this species that
locust year" occurs almost annually in
some portion of the United States.
Of the dog-day harvest fly, cscada tibsce'a
Prof. Comstock says: "The shrill cry Of
this species, which is the most prominent
of the various insects sounds heard during
the latter part Of summer, has brought its
author into prominent notice. This insec
varies both in size and color. 1t COM
monty measures two inches to the tiE
of the closed wings; it is black ane
green, and more or less powdered will
white. beneath. Its transformations are
similar to those of the seventeen and thir,
teen year broods, except that it requires
only two years for its development. L
differs also in seldom, if ever, occurring il
sufficient numbers to be of economic i'm
portance, but brood of it occurs eaef
year. It is distributed from New York tt
Rio Janeiro.-Neao York World.