36-1 FAMILY VI. -ACRIDIME. THE LOCUSTS. 



row, about equalling the width of first antennal joint, male, nearly twice 

 as broad, female; fastigium strongly declivent, narrowly but distinctly 

 sulcate, male, broadly and shallowly concave, female. Frontal costa prom- 

 inent, slightly wider than interspace between the eyes, feebly sulcate below 

 the ocellus. Pronotum subcylindrical, faintly expanding on metazona; 

 disk with sides feebly sloping; median carina low, distinct, equal through- 

 out; prozona nearly twice the length of metazona. Tegmina about the 

 length of prozona, narrowly oblong; tips subacuminate, male, narrowly 

 rounded, female. Hind femora very slender, exceeding the abdomen in 

 both sexes. Cerci as long as supra-anal plate, narrow, the middle third 

 but half as broad as base, apical third slightly expanded, somewhat flat- 

 tened and feebly curved backward or downward Supra-anal plate trian- 

 gular, with obtuse apex and a rather deep, entire median groove; furcula 

 usually consisting of a pair of minute oblong lobes, lying on the outer 

 sides of the median ridges (PI. Ill, e.) Length of body, $ , 14 16, 9, 

 18.5 20; of antennae, $, 8.5 9, 9, 7.5 8; of pronotum, $ , 4.5, 9, 5 5.5; 

 of tegmina, $, 2.53, 9, 3.54; of hind femora, $, 9.510, 9, 1111.5 

 mm. (Fig. 125. j 



In Indiana this is one of the more common of the short-winged 

 members of Helanoplus. It probably occurs throng-bout the State, 

 but has not been noted in the counties south of Mon- 

 roe and Knox. It frequents rather low, wooded blue- 

 grass pastures and is especially fond of resting and 

 mating upon the foliage of the iron weeds (Vernonia) 

 which grow abundantly in such places. Spots along 

 the roads and pathways through such woods, where 

 the ground ivy carpets the earth and the great rag- 



o- 



weed and jewel-weed grow luxuriantly, are also very 

 attractive to this graceful bodied locust. It is also 

 partial to the tall grasses growing in ravines and 

 along the borders of sloughs and marshes. In central 

 Indiana the males begin to reach maturity by June 

 15th, the females about a week later. By July 5th 

 x g ' i.s 5 (OHg- they are mating in numbers. They have also been 

 noted mating as late as November l()th, and it may be 

 possible that in favorable seasons, a second brood matures. Like 

 most other wingless species, they are active leapers, the males, 

 especially, being noted for their somersaults while endeavoring to 

 escape capture. 



The furcula of the males of f/raciUs vary much in size and 

 form, ranging from minute rounded or triangular parallel lobes 

 to much larger finger-like diverging projections, longer than the 

 dorsal segment to which they are attached. 



The known range of this easily distinguished little locust ex- 

 tends from central Ohio (Mead], Jackson Co., Mich. (Hub'bell), 



