The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-05-26
PESTS
Coming Cause Warning To
Be Issued
Seventeen Year Locust" To
Visit Knox Co.
Expected To Arrive The
Coming Month

Columbus, May 22-Swarms OF
seventeen year locusts" are expected
to infest the eastern half of Ohio dur
ing June this year, the first time since
1897.
All during next month they may be
counted on trees, especially young
fruit stock, by the thousands, and the
air will be filled with their humming,
according to experts.
The state agricultural commission
started today its active campaign to
fight them. Scores of pamphlets were
sent out to farmers throughout east
ern Ohio, giving directions of how to
protect fruit trees from inroads of the
female insects. These cut deep into
the stems and bark Of trees and lay
their eggs in pockets there Young
twigs will be weakened and under the
strain of heavy fruit or wind, they may
break almost entirely through.
The seventeen year locusts look
much like ordinary late summer To-
Gusts, but are smaller. They are
sometimes called "Pharaohs" because
it is supposed swarm of these in
sects, descended upon the Egyptian
king in response to the prayers of
Moses.
For seventeen years the larvae and
pupae of the locusts have been grow
ing in the earth, fastened to rootlets
and drawing sustenance from them,
During the last month they have been
burrowing to the surface. being almost
mature. Millions OF cone-shaped mud
huts, from three to three and one-half
inches high have been seen on the sur
face of the ground in rural districts
and reported to the state agricultur-
lists. These are the houses constructed
by the insects.
When conditions are propitious
late in May OF early in June, tho
pupae will swarm from the ground
with rush, the state agriculturists
say. A bulletin issued by the Woos-
ter experiment station says from
10000 to 10000 locusts may ascend
from beneath single tree.
Only the male locusts sing, but the
female are more, dangerous because
of their egg planting habits.
The brood probably will last five or
six weeks, and disappear rather sud
denly early in July. One brood de-
veloped in southern Ohio in 1905 and
the progeny OF this brood will not
come again until 1922. The field of
the 1914 brood overlaps that OF the
1905 brood, however, and probably
will give the impression in southern
Ohio that the locusts develop more
frequently than every II years. In
southern states, where the climate is
warmer, they develop oftener than at
II year periods.
This years brood is expected to
cover the following counter:
Ashland, Athens, Belmont, Carroll,
Columbiana, Coshocton, Crawford,
Cuyahoga, Delaware, Erie, Fairfield,
Geauga, Gallia, Guernsey, Harrison,
Hooking, Holmes, Huron, Jackson,
Jefferson, Knox, Licking, Lorain, Ma.
honing, Medina Meigs, Monroe, Nor
gan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pike,
Pickaway, Portage, Richland, Ross,
Sandusky, scioto, Seneca, Stark, Tus-
carawas, Summit, Vinton, Washing
ton and Wayne.
The fight against the insects is be
ing directed by Norman E. Shaw,
chief state horticulturist, Professor
Herbert Osborn, entomologist of the
Ohio State University, and n. A. Cos.
sard, of the Wooster experiment sta
tion.
Here are few Of the instructions
for protection of fruit trees.
DO not prune until the locust fight
is over Watch particularly trees OF
orchards near woodlands, where To-
Gusts swarm first. Spray with
Bordeaux mixture or lime sulphur
wash. Young trees should be wrapped
with paper or cloth and their tops GOV.
cred with mosquito bar. Coverings
should be made on June 20 OF as soon
after as possible. Arrangements have
been completed for making careful
survey of the territory covered by the
locusts this year. The district Of the
brood naturally increases from one
brooding season to another.