INSECT LIFE IN INDIA AND HOW TO STUDY IT. 187 



4. For the winged insects. — The swarms which have newly acquired 

 wings are dangerous as they may spend several weeks flying about 

 and feeding before pairing and egg-laying. When a winged swarm 

 is seen approaching, the people should assemble in the fields armed 

 with tomtoms, kerosine tins, etc., and should be made to advance in 

 bands of 50 beating the instruments. The flight will almost invariably 

 change its direction if this procedure is carried out. Smoke fires and 

 the waving of cloths also seem to frighten the swarms to a certain 

 extent. If swarms of young winged locusts do settle in standing crops- 

 they may be treated as follows : — 



Drag over the fields a capacious bag, five or six feet deep and 

 eight to ten feet long and open at the side instead of the end. This 

 is held by two men, one at each end, and is run along over the standing 

 crops to catch the locusts ; these tumble in, and being unable to escape- 

 can be, from time to time, killed by twisting up the bag. This is a 

 simple and easy method, the people will take to it readily, and little or 

 no injury need be done to the crops. 



The old dark coloured swarms do little damage by feeding. They 

 must, however, be carefully watched as they are then intent on egg- 

 laying and every effort should be made in a district to find out where 

 their eggs are laid. 



Fig. 16. — The Bombay locust Acridmm succinctum. (Bombay Presidency) \. 



A fungus has been discovered which destroys locusts. It comes from 

 South Africa and has done good work there and elsewhere. Too little is 

 known of its value, however, in India to make it worth while doing 

 more than mentioning it here. 



A. peregrinum is preyed upon by two dipterous parasites, one of which 

 attacks the egg, the other the mature insect. In addition a Carabid 

 beetle (Calosoma orientate, Hope) and the rosy pastor starling (Pastor, 

 roseus) cause great havoc amongst the flights. 



