Milford chronicle., 1910-11-04
Il YEAR LOCUSTS ARE
COMING NEXT SPRING

OVUituV UEn VI titUO
To warn farmers and orchardists
against the resurrection of the sew
enteen year locust, or Periodical
Cicada, that will occur i'll certain
areas Of this country next spring,
a call for preserving the wild birds
that destroy this pest has been
issued from the headquarters of the
National Association of Audubon
Societies in New York City. Two
giant broOds of these remarkable
insects that come to ravage orchard
vegetation, only after incubation
intervals Of thirteen and seventeen
years, are set down by scientists as
due to descend upon this continent
within the next six months. On
ly the birds that can be counted
upon to eat up by the thousands
the units in this swarming locust
plague will avail to avert serious
losses in the coming season, it is
declared.
English sparrows, robins, wood
peckers, orioles, scarlet tanagers,
cuckoos, goldfnches, and nuthat
ches have been proved by the gov
eminent biological survey to have
rendered the greatest service in de-
vouring these periodical cicada on
their last raids of the country, ac-
cording to the records that have
been searched by the Audubon
workers. Eating the soft bodies
of the locust pests or their wings
and heads as well, cat birds, flick
ers, tOwees, ,,guatcatchers, martins,
peewees, thrushes, viroes, chica-
dees and fycatchers are among the
other destroyers. Only two spec
les Of all the birds examined at
Washington, have been found not
10 feed upon these destructive in
sects, To protect these birds and
all the other insect eaters through
the coming months is declared to
be an emergency measure that
must be siezed upon by the farmers
of the land.
Shielded in tiny shells the per
iodical clcada are today preparing
to burst forth in countless multi
tudes over the fields Of both North |
and South, the chronological ex-
perts declare. Unnumbered hosts /
of these weird insects will next /
summer slit young trees and de-
post, to blight the tender sprouts, /
the eggs that will bring fourth the /
species seventeen years hence, it IS |
assured. Apple, peach and pear
orchards and vinyards will feel |
their destructive power, the gov
ernment authorities admit, unless
an abundant force Of the wild birds |
is preserved to lead the fight /
against the impending insect /
plague.
Comprehensive State laws for the
of the insect eating bird /
and wide spread efforts TO shelter
and feed them through next win
ter 5 storms, are advocated in this |
emergency by the National Asso- |
citation of Audubon Societies which .
have for wears urged the people /
Of Ameriba to consider such pro
blems from the economic stand /
point
The fear of the locust plague
that is now spreading over the ag /
ricultural sections only points
the moral Of our general /
campaign, said Wm. butcher, the
president Of the National Associa-
ton of Audubon Societies For
years we have been working to
arouse the country to the danger
Of the destruction Of the insect eat
ing birds. which will be invaluable
in this particular case as they are
in every case Of insect pests. Since
I634 when these soCalled seven
.een-v wear 1ocusts descended upon
he pilgrim fathers at Plymouth the
agricultural prosperity Of the coun-
ry has been constantly menaced
1v insect encroachments that can
De met only by the birds that Ma
ure has provided as checks, not
IS targets for pot hunters.