The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-14
SEVENTEEN-YEAR LOCUST.
The Insect Is Not Locust and Does
but Little Harm.

New York Evening Post.
Msled by the name locust" for the in
sect is not a locust. there has been a good
deal of needless anxiety over the appear
ance this year of the 'seventeen-year To-
GUST this summer The New York agri-
cultural experiment station at Geneva has
recently issued a pamphlet on the subject
which shows how useless has been the wor-
~ over the appearance o. the insect. and
which declares that they are not greatly
to be feared. They DO not. stated by
some newspapers. appear in such count
less numbers as 10 darken the sky and con-
sumo every green thing in sight They
may be and are already quite plentiful In
few localities. but they do not leave these
places. and their damage even where they
are abundant will be slight. They are not
locusts. but closely resemble the common
harvest fly or "dog-oay cicada," whose
shrill notes have attracted the attention or
every observant farmer boy or passer-by in
the streets OF the city where there are
shade trees.
Like the harvest fly. the periodical cieada
eats little or nothing during its visit above
the ground, and II grows so slowly during
it's seVenteen-year stay under the sod that
it can only in exceptional cases and when
exceedingly plentiful work harm 10 the
roots Of the plants upon which II draws for
sustenance. The only real damage IL does
| is TO the tender tWigS OF vines, frult trees
and deciduous forest trees. I'm which the fe-
male deposits her eggs. These punctured
twigs usually wither and die, so IL would
be wise for farmers and others not TO set
out young trees or prune too heavily any
new plantations where the cicada Is likely
TO appear. If there are any choice young
trees IL would be as well 10 protect them
from injury with a cover OF sheeting or wire
netting.
known insects. for those which make their
appearance this year were Matched in
punctured twig in 1855 The whole period
of seventeen years has been spent beneath
| the ground at depth Of eight TO ten inch
es, sometimes many feet. Into the soil
| the tiny larva burrows when IL has fallen
nightly from the twig where II was
Matched, and makes for itself a little cell
of compact earth through which usually
passes "A slender rootlet or two OF some tree
or long-lived plant, upon which the little
sucking insect may live by drawing out its
juices. Should the food supply fail. how
ever, the little larva or the later-formed
pupa can change its location. The insect
grows slowly, moulting several times, but
is all the while grub-like creature with
mole-like front claws for digging and, in
later stages, with rudiments OF wings
In the seventeenth year the warmth or
May early June stirs up the sluggish In
stincts and the pupae make for the sur
face. All seem 10 be struck with the fever
at once, for some morning, where no cl-
cada were 10 be seen the day before the
bushes and trees will be alive with the
crawling creamy white creatures seeking A
place in which to shed their coats. Usually
the entire brood will emerge within three
DAYS, which is one Of the most astonishing
features in an insect OF so long a life The
pupae crawl up the trunks Of trees. up
bushes, or even up stiff weeds or grass
stalks until they find spot TO which they
can cling securely. The feet fix themselves
firmly the skin splits along the back and
the winged ccada gradually emerges. leav-
ing the pinkish transparent shell behind,
where il may remain for weeks unless
something disturbs it, The males have re-
markable sound producing organs. white
transparent drums with much corrugated
surface underneath the wings. The vibra-
tions of these drums cause a penetrating
sound, and when made by a swarm may
be heard a mile or more. While the males
are singing. the voiceless females seek out
tender twigs. and each with her sharp saw
toothed oviposter pierces through the bark
and deposits two rows of eggs. The eggs
are laid very soon after the adults leave
the ground. and hatch in about six OF ssv-
en- weeks, starting anew the long life cycle.