Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-05-01
SEVENTEEN YEAR LOCUST.
Interesting Visitor That Will In
jure Trees.
Tho Insect 10 to Appear This Year in the
Northern and Eastern Parts OF
the United States.

Warnings are being sent out by the va
rious official bodies and agricultural soci-
cites over the northern and eastern parts
of the United States against the great
swarm of seventeen year locusts which
will make its appearance next month.
After sleeping underground for nearly
two decades. the insects will come out
in May in enormous numbers, and fruit
growers especially will have reason to
fear. to some extent, for the safety of
their trees. In various parts of Maryland
the larvae of the insect have been dug up
and plowed UP. Maryland. with Virginia
and Delaware, will probably be the scenes
of the greatest number of the winged Wis.,
itors.
Thistle cicada septemdecim-is the
weirdest and in some respects the most in
teresting of all insects Particularly in
etresting is the story Of the evolution of
the voracious insects from the larvae.
Each female deposits about 500 eggs in the
bark of the twigs of trees on which they
happen to be. The larvae antlike when
Matched. drop to the ground and bore into
the earth, sometimes to a considerable
depth, and there pass the long interval
until their temperance above ground.
They vertically honeycomb the ground in
this process of coming out into daylight.
Tho Insects are then in a pupae stage, of
a considerable size. and sluggish. They
crawl to the nearest tree or fence rail, get
n strenuous grip-one or two strenuous
nesses in the career Of the insect-and
then occurs the final act of this wonderful
evolution. The gelatinous shell, dried by
sun and air, and expanded by the develop
ment OF its occupant. splits vertically of
the thorax. nature having supplied along
this line adhesion of least effectiveness
The cicada thcreupon comes out, using
little effort. rather depending on the natu-
raj thickening Of its girth to open it's pri-
son door. In few hours 1t tumbles-a
temporarily helpless ball of wings. legs
and body-to the ground, while the empty
prison cell clings as before until wind and
weather effect its destruction. Many oil
these pupae shells will still be found, how
ever, clinging to bark or silver of wood
in some protected nook years after the
escape of the prisoner. melancholy remind
ers and promises as well, nor empty prom
Uses either
THE UNEARTHLY DIN.
The second and last strenuous business
to which the cicada lends its energies Is
its contribution to the insect orchestra oi
wood, orchard and countryside In this
the male only participates. 1t is his love
song The mechanism that makes the
sound consists of two small drums of mem
brane situated on the sides of the abdo-
men. These drums are caused to Vibratt
by the action of powerful muscles, ano
the noise is varied in tone and pitch bS
adjacent structures resembling in appear
ance as we'll as in effect, sounding boards
The manner in which the sound is pro-
duced may be compared to the pressing
up and down of the bottom Of a somewhat
bulged tin pan.
The cicaua septemdecim Is, all in all, g
beautiful insect. belonging to the common
est order of his kind. is entirely Harmless.
and unobiectionable In habit. unless th'
damage done to fruit trees, and occasion
ally to other plants, is seriously considered
That they do not sting need hardly ~
said A couple of ants in bad humor coult
annihilate a brigade Of them.
Watch the ground for their coming. Thu
pupae on reaching the surface construc
little cones or chimneys of EARTH various
~ called "huts." towers" ''chimneys.'
and adobe dwellings" and these Will h'
most conspicuous. sometimes millions o
them being found In a small piece o
ground. They are built Of soft pellets o
clay or mud, pressed firmly into place
and probably are designed to protect tn
| newcomer from the first effects of tn
outer air. apt to be damp and chill.
After seventeen years of preparation tn
insect has but a few days to live. Th
| female dies when the eggs are laid. ant
| the male follows the last throb OF hi
| love song.-From the Baltimore American