3Imj 2, 190S.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.TF. 415 



Winged swarms appeared in the Hunter River Valley in October and 

 November, and young hoppers did considerable damage during November 

 and December. 



The grasshoppers at Muswellbrook were reported to have fouled the 



so-called "blue couch" grass and caused the death of a number of cattle. 



No fouled grass was obtainable, and on visiting soon after no trace was left 



of the presence of the hoppers. Rain had followed immediately after tlie 



mortality and may have removed the cause of the trouble. However^ 



incjuiries revealed that this grass has previously affected stock, and that when 



no grasshopper swarms had been in the district. Further, other grass 



attacked by the swarms apparently had no effect on the cattle. It seems 



probable, as Mr. Stewart, the Chief Inspector of Stock, reported, the cause of 



the fatalities might be traced to the animals, having been starved for lengthy 



periods, being allowed to drink and then dejmsture on so-called "blue couch" 



grass. 



Fly-parasite of the Grasshopper. 



At Tocal I found a number of the winged grasshoppers affected with the 

 maggot of a parasitic fly [Harcoj>haya pachytyli). One genex'ally, but 

 occasionall}' two maggots were found in the one grasshopper, feeding 

 internally within either the thorax or the abdomen. The grub was a white, 

 fleshy maggot, \ to \ of an inch in length. When fully grown the maggot 

 eats its way out and falls to the ground, where it burrows slightly and 

 pujjates. The pupa is brown, cylindrical in shape, and liatches after a few 

 days as a two-winged adult fly. The adult is greyish, in size and general 

 appeai'ance resembles a house fly, and again lays eggs upon grasshojjpers, &c. 



Number of broods of the Grasshopper, 



Judging from the times of appearance recorded, it appears there may be 

 three generations during th« season, the first hatching during August, 

 September and early October, the second appearing in November and 

 December, the third batch of young ones about February and March. 

 This means the main swarms are on the wing during late October and 

 November, during late December and January, and about March and 

 April. The eggs from these last swarms apparently remain unhatched 

 through the winter months. The eggs deposited during the summer months 

 hatch in about three weeks' time. On this point I obtained interesting 

 information from Mr. F. S. Wnlker, Bungiebomar School, near Dubbo, who 

 reported the appearance of winged swarms there during November, and 

 noticed them congregated on his vegetable garden and laying eggs. On 

 writing for the dates' of the egg-laying and hate-hing of these eggs, he replied, 

 28th November and 16ch December respectively. Tliis makes a period of 

 incubation of about eighteen days during summer. 



The pest appeared irregularly throughout the State fioin New England 

 districts in the north to the Riverina in the south. The first winged swarms 

 apparently advanced eastward further than is usually the case, perhaps owing 

 to the great shortage of gi-ass in the western districts during eai'ly summer. 



