Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-05
NO NEED FOR ALARM
Even Though the Seventeen Year Locusts
Are Here.
What is Said About Them ut the Az
ricultural Department by Those
Who Are Posted.

q year lOCuSts, Out IOE tne DeneIlt OF people
who are likely to be alarmed at this fact
II may be said that the entomologists Of
the Agricultural Department are not at
all worried over the prospect. They do
not consider that the cicada does ver,
much damage and by the last of the
month II is expected that all of these
singing creatures will have disappeared
from the face of the earth. leaving the
wherewithal to start another supply in
1911.
In various parts of the country around
Washington the appearance of the periodi-
cal cicada has already been noted Wis
itors to Arlington on Decoration day no.
ticed that the grounds were Uttered up
TO a remarkable extent by the cast-off
shells of these winged creatures, but as
yet few have been seen within the city
limits. The present lot of locusts ex-
tends over the northern section of the
country beginning in Virginia and fol-
lowing up the coast as far north New
York and around Staten Island and west
ern Long Island. They extend as far
east New Haven and then up both
sides Of the Hudson river as far as Troy.
To the west. too, they appear in appar-
entity isolated spots as far as Iowa. The
limits of territory within which the ci-
cada makes its periodic appearance are
remarkably well defined. for he is not a
migratory creature in any sense and sell
dom goes more than a few feet from the
point where he makes his appearance on
earth.
a Matter of Dates Explained.
One matter that puzzles a good many peo-
pie every time there is a reappearance
of these dreaded insects is the question how
seventeen year iocusts can come back every
few years. Their last appearance around
Washington was in 1885. This present
lot that we see this summer was last
here in 1877. The explanation OF this is
very simple Entomologists who have
studied the subject have identified and
located twenty-five different broods OF
the cicada some of which appear every
thirteen years and some every seventeen
years. The different broods are In local.
ties scattered all over the country, but
these sections often overlap, so that two
or even more broods may make their reg
ular reappearances In the same place. So
il is that the "cicada septendecim,
which appeared here in 1855. is of an al
together different brood from the one that
is here now, and its offspring will not
make their appearance until lg12- In
general way it may be said that the sew
enteen-year locusts make their appear
ance in the north and the thirteen-year
locusts in the south. although the dividing
line is not a definitely marked one. The
brood that is here now is known as brood
XII"
Not So Plentiful as Formerly.
People who have made this subject study
have noted the fact that the locusts are
nothing like as plentiful within the District
as they were in their preceding appearances.
In 1868 they were very common, indeed.
while in 1877 II was noticed that there was
a marked decrease in their numbers here.
and an effort was made to find the reason
for this. During the Intervening period
there was a great deal of paving done with
in the city limits. so that when the little
cicadas started up toward the surface of
the earth. when their seventeen years OF in
cubation were up. they found their way
blocked by brick sidewalks and asphalt
pavements. They can come up all right
between .ocks pretty close together. but
asphalt pavement is enough to bother the
life out of any enterprising little cicada that
ever started on a Journey toward the upper
region of sunlight and air. About this time
too. came the English sparrow. and even the
most pronounced enemy of this quarrel
some and generally disagreeable bird must
admit that he has fatal fondness for a
young locust-fatal for the locust that is
to say.
No Need for Great Alarm.
According to Information furnished to The
Star reporter at the Agricultural Depart
ment the appearance OF the seventeen-year
locusts should not cause anything like the
amount OF alarm that 1t does In news
paper reports these insects are sometimes
COMPOUNDED with true locusts tentomologi-
cally speaking). or so-called "grasshoppers
and thus cause unnecessary apprehension
The only damage done by the clcadas is TO
blight certain of the smaller twigs of fruit
and. shade trees by ovipositing in the wood
This Injury becomes serious only when the
insects are exceptionally abundant and owl
post In young nursery stock In its earlier
stages, or during its long subterranean life
the cicada feeds TO some extent upon the
roots OF plants, but this feeding is SO grad
ual that injury from this cause has very
rarely been reported. In the case of Young
trees in nurseries the greatest damage IS
done, and frequently, where a lot OF young
fruit or shade trees have just been set out
and have reached a height of only a couple
of feet the presence OF the locusts, burrow-
ing in the wood to lay their eggs is very
likely to prove fatal to the entire outlay
Another Brood Due.
Brood XVIII, which Is thirteen-year
brood, and was last noted In ISL is also
due this year. 1t is the largest thirteen
year brood and one OF the best known Of
all that have been recorded 1t will not
reach here at all. however. and is confined
in more or less restricted areas within the
states or Alabfsna, Arkansas Georgia
Illinois, where the area is most extensive
Indian territory. Kentucky, Louisiana. Mis-.
slssippi. Missouri, North and South Carolina.
Texas and Virginia.
Unable to Form a Cabinet
Count h.