Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-06-02
sEveNTEEN.YEAR PESTS
They Have MADE Their Appearance II
Southern States.

Southern StAtee.
Some time ago it was announced
that the appearance Of the 17-year-
old-locust might be confidently ex-
pected this year. and some papers
took issue with the statement, de-
claring the locust would delay his
appearance for another year. Not
withstanding these exceptions that
were taken. the original statement is
being verified already in the warmer
ATTITUDES of the country. The St.
Louis Globe-Democrat states that
1.-THE advance guard of the 17-year
locusts. which are supposed by some
naturalists to come at regular inter-
walls and by others to be more or less
uncertain as to the time of their ar
rival, has invaded Forest park.
Within a week or ten days myriads
OF them will swarm in every section
where there is growing vegetation to
give them food and q foothOld."
Fred W. Duenckcl, of the Forest
Park Meteorological observatory,
who has made special study of in
sect life, collected a number of spec
linens yesterday. Speaking of them.
he said to Globe-Democrat re-
porter:
May IA l found a few cast-off
shells of epidermis and two or three
strengthening locusts. On May Is
early the woods echoed with a pc
culiar buzzing noise. somewhat like
constant croaking of frogs in spring,
and upon examining the trees and
shrubs in Forest park found thous-
ands of cast-off cuticle shells of
locusts, and many live. active, trans.
formed locusts. then knew that
they were the 11-year locusts, and
took better notice of their action. I
observed their peculiar action after
reaching the earth's surface.
The species.
The species of locusts is called
.Cicad septemdecim, and is the North
American .17-year' locust or harvest
fly Though they probably appear
every year in some part or another
in this country. still they
chiefly and generally appear
in very great numbers at
intervals of IL years. The male
lives but short time, the female
existing somewhat longer. and when
she has deposited some 500 eggs she
dies shortly after. The eggs are de-
posted in twigs of trees. The larvae
drop and bore their way into the
ground. where they are supposed to
remain IL years sucking the juices
OF roots of trees and plants. am of
| the opinion that this latter is doubt
ful. and rather think that they re-
main in the ground in dormant
state during the entire period of II
years.
Il had the pleasure to observe the
different stages of development after
they reached the surface of the
ground. The larva bores itself
through to the earth's surface and
crawls upon the nearest shrub or
tree. and there the outer epidermis
or cuticle layer of spine is shed. The
white color, within two or three
hours. Is changed to black. The
eyes remain of red color during the
entire neutrality-suspicious.. The wings
are developed. rs in all winged in
sects. under the cuticle layer of the
larva. and Immediately after the
layer OF skin is cast off the wings
unfold. and within few hours, that
is. as soon as they have changed from
white to black, they become active,
fly about. feeding on leaves of trees
and plants and sap. The larva. as
it approaches the earth, is of a ligh,
brown color. Then upon the imme-
date change to the winged insect il
becomes white. and within two OF
three hours black"