Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1893-07-27
Saint Maru's Beacon
SEvENTEEN YEAR LocUsTs.
A swAax puETE,s szAscH III EIGHT
STATES.

parts Of eight states Of the Union.
The Department Of Agriculture is
sending out circulars broadcast in
quiring about them. Its object is
to determine accurately the limits
of the areas occupied by the insects.
There are twenty two known broods
of them, which turn mp in different
years in various sections of the
country. Their respective terri
tories overlap to some extent. Each
brood, however, comes out of the
ground only once in seventeen
years. The intervals are absolutely
regular. One brood has been un-
der observation since l7l5, and it
is possible to make with absolute
certainty such prediction az that
the 'locusts' will appear at given
place in 1898 AID.
The creatures are not 'locusts' at
all, in fact, but cicadas. They are
good to eat, according to the Divis-
ion of Entomology. Experts at
tached to that bureau experimental
with them some years ago. They
tried them in plain stew, in thick
milk stew, and boiled. The insects
were collected from trees as they
emerged from the chrysalids. After
soaking in cold water over night
they were cooked for breakfast. 1t
was found that they impaired q
distinct and agreeable flavor to the
stew, but were not palatable them
selves, being reduced to flabby skins.
They were best fried in batter, when
they suggested shrimps. Never
theless, it was decided that they
were not likely to become a popular
dainty. This is unfortunate, mas
much as unlimited quantities of
them can be readily gathered when
they are in season.
1t must be understood that no
relation exists between the cicadas
and the grasshoppers. which are the
true locusts. The former belong to
wholly different family in the
kingdom of insects. Grasshoppers
have long been recognized as edible.
People in many parts of the world
eat them. John the Baptist SUBJ
sisted on them in the wilderness,
with wild honey for a relish. The
bug experts at Washington have
found that unfledged grasshoppers
bold two hours, with butter, spices
and salt added, compose a broth
that is scarcely distinguishable from
beef broth. Fried in their own oil,
or roasted, they have an agreeable
nutty taste. Ground and compress
ed they will last fresh indefinitely.
Curry of grrsshoppers and grass
hopper croquettes have been tried
and approved Of.
1t has been discovered that the
long-term cicadas in the Southern
states appear every thirteen years.
During the first six or seven years
of its life, the cicada does not ordi.
narily burrow deeper in the earth
than two feet. Later on it is sup
posed to go further down, and it
has been found at depth of twenty
feet. Toward the end of its term
Of subterranean existence it makes
its way upward, and in the year
when it is to appear it is discovered
quite close to the surface, under
logs and stones, seemingly awaiting
the opportune moment. When that
moment arrives the creatures swarm
out in vast numbers and scramble
over the ground to the nearest trees.
IL there is an isolated tree a very
strange phenomenon is exhibited.
All of the insects in its neighbor-
hood led by a remarkable instinct,
make so many Declines toward it.
Conveying to the central point. they
Chamber up the frank in a steady
stream. diyerging again along the
branches. Once seen, the sight lie
not easily forgotten.
The cicadas begin to come out at
sunset and continue until midnight.
When the insect has attached itself
comfortably to a twig or leaf, its
skin begins to split down the mid
die. 1t takes from twenty minutes
to an hour for the animal to extri-
cate itself from its discarded shell.
The transformation completed, it
appears as beautiful creature with
gauzy wings. There are few more
wonderful sights than that afforded
by tree aswarm with 'locusts' un-
dergoing the metamorphosis des-
eribed. In the moonlight it looks