26 



ORTIIOPTERA OF NORTHEASTERN AMERICA. 



In our northern states the number of Orthoptera and other in- 

 sects which will be present in any summer depends largely upon 

 the character of the preceding winter. Most insects pass the win- 

 tor in either the egg or the pupal stage; since these forms <-ri 

 readily withstand long and severe cold weather, in fact may be 

 frozen solid for weeks and retain life and vigor, both of which 

 are shown when warm weather and food appear again. Indeed, 

 it is not an unusually cold winter, but one of successive thawings 

 and freezings, which is most destructive to insect life. A mild 

 winter encourages the growth of mold which attacks the hibernat- 

 ting larvae and pupae as soon as, from excess of rain or humidity, 

 they become sickly ; and it also permits the continued activity of 

 insectivorous mammals and birds. Thus, moles, shrews, and field 

 mice, instead of burying themselves deeply in the ground, run 

 about freely during an open winter and destroy enormous num- 

 bers of pupa?; while such birds as the woodpeckers, titmice and 

 chickadees are constantly on the alert, and searching in every 

 crevice and cranny of fence and bark of tree for the hibernating 

 eggs and larvae. 



ANIMAL PARASITES. A number of parasites belonging to the 

 animal kingdom use MS their chief hosts the bodies of locusts and 

 other member of the order Orthoptera. Among the more common 

 of these animal parasites is the red locust mite, Trotnltidinin lo- 



'c. 



Fig. id. 'l~r,->in!'idiiiiii hicustaniin. a, female with her hatch of 

 eggs (after Krnerton); /'. newly hatched larva, natural size indicated 

 hy~ the- dot within the circle; c', egg; d, c, vacated egg shells. (After 

 Riley.) 



Riley. On the first warm, sunny days of spring, as soon 

 as the surface of the earth is fairly dry and warm, scores of min- 

 ute "red spiders" can be seen along any pathway in the woods 

 and fields. They are especially common if locusts were abundant 



