The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-25
LOCUST PESTS
 COMING THIS YEAR Two Varieties Are Due at
 the Same Time IT IS LIFE HISTORY
Seventeen Year and Thirteen Year Locusts to Be Here in 1911. Last Seen During Span
 ish h-American War
By WALTER HARPER


 after the other.
 Last Year we had Hally's comet and petticoat politics Just now we are haV- ing an epidemic of measles and the legislature.
 Before these scale of we'll we will have upon us one of the pesterlng ary repentance. The 1S-year locusts are due to arrive during the latter part or May. and will probably abide with us through the month of June and well Into July They will come millions and bil- lions strong. covering the face or the earth in places and in some sections the morning sun will be yelled as by cloud.
 And this is not al The 17-year locusts are due to arrive this year at the same time. This coincidental appearance of this curiosity of the animal world mas not happened since the year 1890, or 22l years ago. It will not happen again un- til the year 2ls2 This will be after lapse of another 221 years.
 So the appearance of the periodic To- custs this year will be the only oppor- tunity that those now living will prob ably have of witnessing this most un- usual phenomena of nature.
 There is no difference between the 13- year and the 17-year locust except that the former makes it's appearance in the south and the latter in the north. The difference is caused by the time required for the maturing of the egg and grub that is deposited in the ground at each periodic appearance of the pest It takes five more years for maturing in the north than in the south. 1t so hap pens that the north and south species mature at the same time this year.
 The last appearance of the two broods was in 1894 and 1898, respectively. The maturing of the eggs and the appearance of the locust is a matter of mathematic accuracy. It requires no more or less time than the respective periods named and entomologists know just when and where to look for the arrival of the strange visitors. Yet they constitute one of the mysteries of science
 They are the 1ongest-lived of all the insect world, and yet among the shortest lived after they emerge into the light of day and assume an active state They live 13 years and r years respectively under ground during the period of devel- opment After they come out and be- come gaudy creatures of life they live only from four to five weeks. The entire life of the locust is longer than that Of the average cat or dog
 While Alabama is not in the main locust belt of the south, the people of this state will have an opportunity of sec ing thousands, perhaps millions, of them during the latter part of May and through June They cover practically the entire south, but are more numerous fn the states directly bordering the Mis- sissippi river as far north as Missouri and Kentucky. This is the l3-year To- custs. The l7-year locusts appear in arts of New England, some of the mid die Atlantic states and generally over the north central states.
 . This year they will meet and mingie along the border line between the north and south. Indeed, they will cover the United States like a blanket visiting both the just and the unjust alike
 The life and manner of the locust is one of the interesting studies of nature. I will speak of the southern type which may apply as we'll to those of the north except that 1t requires longer period for the latter to develop and make their periodic appearance.
 The last appearance of the southern locust was in 1898, the year of the Span ish-American war. The insect makes it's appearance as beatle-like insect about an inch in length and rather plump It rises from holes or mud chimneys that have been raised in the ground in wood ed tracts or in orchards where they ap- peared 1S years before.
 They make their appearance In the evening usually between sundown and o'clock Free from the ground they scamper to the nearest tree or bush and climb up into it. They are brown and without wings with medium length legs that are very active. After they become settled on leaf or twig of the tree or bush they will be seen to split their brown backs. The split reaches from the neck to the waistband.
 By watching closely you will see worm like insect protruding slowly from this incision or opening. The worm-like animal is white as cream with pink eyes and heavy black brows. When they are entirely free from the shells you will see we'll developed wings, and the tree by lantern light. with its myriad of freed iocusts looks like bank of beautiful white blocks.
 Next morning on examination you will find that the locusts have changed color