Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-06-03
Washington Has Pests.

ercises.
Washington Has Pests.
Washington is the storm center of
the attack OF the seventeen year To-
Gusts. Practically every common and
swarming with the pests. Wherever
there is to be found tree you will
find the ground beneath punched as
full OF holes the size OF your finger as
the openings can be made 1t would
be impossible for duck to step upon
place beneath the trees in Lafayette
square. opposite the White House and
not cover a locust tunnel.
The iocusts emerge from these holes
about an hour after shutdown. so as to
escape the birds. At that time they
resemble large brown beetle being
about an inch long Within a short
time an agitation is to be noticed Just
back of the neck and in moment the
back will be seen to split open from
the head back for distance OF third
of an inch. Then follows a doubling
and launching and twisting and the in
sect has pulled its head out of what
appeared to be its head Then the
fore legs are pulled out and the entire
body is dragged from the shell. There
you have the seventeen year locust.
There lies the amber shell weighing
nothing; thin as tissue paper, yet a
complete beetle, even to the tiny spurs
on the legs, eyes, spear and everything
complete. 1t is a most marvellous
transformation and the interesting
feature of the change is that the whole
performance is executed right before
you within the space of ten minutes.
AT first the locust is of cream col
or, but inside half an hour the locust
permanent color.
A locust's Appearance.
Its wings are folded up into space
the size of a kernel of barley. AS
soon as the insect gets clear of it's
shell it begins to flop these little bar
ley-shaped hinges OH its sides, and
gradually one can see an increase in
size. Then it begins to look like a
wing, to unfold and lengthen, and in
side of fifteen minutes your locust
mas as fine wing, of transparent ma
terial. as delicate as a fly's, nearly an
inch and half long and two-thirds of
an inch wide. 1t is strange fact
that the locust, when its wings are all
unfolded. will fly off without prelim-
mary trial or experimenting.
Is Busy Insect.
The locust is said to live but five
weeks after shaking off it's shell. Dur
ing these five weeks, however, it is
very busy, addressing itself to the
task of preparing for the crop seven
teen years hence. 1t hastens upon a
portion OF tree or limb runs a sort Of
dagger it possesses into the tree a
quarter of an inch and makes fur
row in which are deposited the eggs.
The eggs resemble quite closely flax
seeds These eggs quickly hatch a
sort of white grub less than a quar-
ter of an inch long which falls to the
ground and burrows down to remain
seventeen years. Just what occurs
during these years does not seem to
be well authenticated.
Sparrows Live on Them.
The English sparrows and other
birds have made sad havoc among the
locusts, but the latter are too numer-
Gus for the birds. 1t is no uncommon
sight to see a sparrow sitting upon a
nmb so hlled With lOcuStS that he re-
sembles butter ball and cannot ham
die himself well. However, latterly
the birds have become wise and in
stead of swallowing the entire locust,
they simply pick off its head.
House May Act on Irrigation Bill.
Congressman Lacey says it seems
quite possible that some action may
be taken by the house upon the irl.iga-
tion proposition at this session. The
Hansbrough bill passed the senate
early in the session and came to the
house. 1t was too comprehensive. and
loosely drawn to stand any show of
passing the house, and its friends
have modified the senate bill. making
rigid restrictions touching the ques-
ton Of gobbling Of lands by specula-
tors, and land agents, and Major La
cey, who has opposed the general ir-
rigation proposition, vigorously. says
the amended bill is not particularly
Objectionable. 1t is understood that
the President is quite favorable to
the passage of an irrigation bill at
this session and compromise of
some sort seems probable.