The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-11-04
L0CUSTS EXPECTED
Destructive and Dreaded Insects
Looked for in 1914.
How Species, Sometimes Called
."Pharaoh's locusts" Differs from
Common Variety - Supersti-
tious Believe Presages War.

pittsburg, Pa.-Almost the whole
known world is infested at times by a
species of insect known as the cicada,
or locust. In many portions of the
globe these insects come in such great
numbers as to make life almost a
burden to man and animal, and every
living thing in the way of vegetation
is devoured within a very few hours.
In certain sections of the United
States there is what is known as the
seventeen year locust. 1t makes it's
appearance every II years.
The last locust year was 1897, and
the next appearance will be in 1914.
In 1880 the insects were more plen-
tiful than in 1897, but several severe
storms swept the country, killing
many before they had time to deposit
their eggs in the branches of the
trees, and in 1907 the English spar
row devoured millions of the insects,
and it is believed the number will be
greatly reduced the next time they
are due.
The seventeen-year locusts are
because they make a sound that re-
sembles the repeating over and over
OF that historic name. The notes or
songs are not what might be termed
vocal, as they are produced by the
rapid vibrations of two very thin
films that cover small cavity at the
base of the abdomen. In some To-
0uli ha
what different from that heard in 9TH
er sections. Along streams, and espe-
cially along the Ohio river. the notes
are more bass. while on the highlands,
and especially in the mountain re-
eions, the sounds produced are more
shll III.
Every season there are a few To-
Gusts, and the theory OF many persons
is that they are stragglers, or some
that have fallen behind, by oversleep-
ing, or have awakened a year or two
too soon
In studying the cicada it has been
learned that those making their ap-
pearance each year do not make the
same sound as those coming every II
years. Those we hear every year have
a long, quivering. drawn-out noise,
and never seem TO repeat the word
Pharaoh like those we have heard
on the dates above named. They are
almost identical in appearance. but
they do not come from the earth until
July, while the seventeen-year locusts
appear early in June or as soon as
the ground is warm.
| The yearly visitors remain until
killed ~ frost if they escape their
enemie5. The seventeen year species
are all gone in about six weeks.
Each of these species and, in TACT,
about all the cicada that visit other
! parts of the globe. bore their way out
! {. IL cath, climb upon some tree or
anything near at hand. until they can
burst their shell and expand their
wings and begin their destructive
work.
They leave their hiding place during
the evening or night time, and if one
will take the trouble to watch careful
ly. he will see the insect creep upon
some tree trunk or convenient weed
or bush, and after being exposed to
the air while, sometimes extending
into daylight, 1t is seen to burst it's
outer covering, and with a series of
interesting movements it pulls itself
out OF its long prison and awaits the
unfolding of its wings. These are
more rolls of film at first, but soon
develop into very useful members. At
first the wings are quite transparent,
but soon become grass green tint.
with dark lines.
The markings resemble the letter
w, and some superstitious people say
this signifies war
AS soon as the old garments are
cast off the insect leaves them stick
ing to the tree and flies away and set
ties on some tender branch and begins
depositing the eggs for posterity. The
female locust is provided with a sting.
or ovipositor, through which it depos-
its the eggs beneath the bark on the
tender branches These hatch in
about three weeks. and larva worms
resembling certain species of ant are
found. These drop to the earth, and
in short time they bury themselves
beneath the surface, feeding on the
tender hairlike roots of vegetation.
Where trees and shrubs are stung
badly the twigs decay and fall TO the
earth. and in many places whole Or
chards have been killed.
1t has not been determined lust
when the pupal stage actually begins.
The cicada remains in the earth I'M
til it is time to come forth. OF course,
they live below the frost line. In ex-
cavating for cellars the year previous
to the arrival of such large numbers
of these strange insects they can be
found burrowing upward to be near
the surface.