Evening star., 1928-05-10
"17-YEAR LOCUST
DUE THIS SPRING
Periodic Cicada Will Make
Appearance in Parts
OF East.
BY JOHN l.. COOLEY.

Correspondence OF the Associated Press
NEW YoRK--The periodic cicada
populsrly known as the III = year
locust" is due in several Eastern and
Northern States this Spring.
OrchardiStS, farmers and owners OF
shade trees have little to fear, however
for this insect is now regarded more as
an chronological curiosity than as a
serious pest,
Some time during late May or early
June millions of immature cicadas
will emerge from the subterranean bur-
rows in which they have been develop
ing since the Summer of 1911, The
pupae will Scurry up tree trunks, fence
posts and other vertical surfaces until
they find suitable resting places, Then
the skin will split along each pupa S
back and the adult cicada will emerge.
After a few weeks in the sunshine the
females will lay their eggs in Sits which
they cut in slender twigs and small
branches of many varieties OF trees and
shrubs This function completed, they
will fall to earth to die,
Penetrate Soil.
Several weeks later the eggs will
hatch and the larvae will drop lightly
to the ground. On touching the soil,
they Immediately penetrate 1t, usually
entering at a crack or assure, or at the
base OF some herbaceous plant the roots
of which will provide suStenance for
the little creatures during the long
years of their Subterranean lives The
new generation will remain in seclu-
sion until the Spring of l94S calls 1t
70 aerial existence so that the mySte-
rious cycle can be continued.
Every year is locust veal" in some
parts of the country. fact that should
confound the Soothsayers who assert
that the appearance of the insects with
the strange wv" on their wings forecasts
war. The periodic cicadaS are divided
into broods, one of which appears an
nually. However. a widespread occur
ence OF the creatures, such as is lmml-
nent this year, is comparatively inire-
quent.
The 1928 assortment. known to en-
tomologists as brood H." has its habitat
in certain localities in western and
southern Connecticut, northeastern,
eastern and southeastern New YORK.
southern Maryland, eastern. central and
northern Pennsylvania: eastern and
central Virginia, Kalamazoo County. in
Michigan: Dearborn and Posey Coun-
ties in Indiana. and generally IN New
Jersey and the District of Columbia. 1t
mas DeG0 feE01OGO TBkutdIiS III SDi1ttCOo~
cut since 1924 and in New Jersey since
ITS.
Goes Through Cycle.
In the Spring OF 1929 the brood that
went into the ground in 1912. limited TO
parts of Iowa, Illinois, Ohio and Mis-
souri, viii emerge.
EntomologiSts assume that genera
lions ago the periodic cicada was rep
resented by q single brood. In the course
OF time. however, geographic, climatic
and topographic factors brought about
changes and the brood was broken up
into many each restricted 10 well de-
fined districts and each reappearing at
regular intervals.
Broods Of l7-year cicadas are now
found in many Eastern and Northern
States In the South the insect is repre-
sented by q blood brother that is able.
because Of more favorable environment,
20 complete the life cycle in i3 years.
Neither cicada frequents regions forested
by conifers, and each tends To leave
district that has been defnrested.
The insects do little damage 10 leaves.
confning their mischief 70 the twigs and
small branches which they weaken in
oepositing eggs. Young orchards may
suffer from this enforced pruning, but
larger trees readily survive. Some harm
may also be done to the tiny roots of
plants and trees from which the cidacas
draw nourishnent while they are TN
6erground.