48 The Bulletin. 



wings. The Grouse Locust passes the winter in adult stage. They 

 become very active early in the spring, and it undoubtedly is the 

 lack of other green food that causes them to turn their attention 

 to tobacco. Normally, this insect seems to confine its attention to 

 low marsh lands, where it undoubtedly feeds on the rank-growing 

 plants found in such situations. This is especially true late in 

 summer when the uplands have become dry. In the winter the 

 adults may be found scattered over a wide range of territory. 

 Evidently they hibernate in any suitable locality. Early in the 

 spring the adults pair and the females lay their eggs in favorable 

 situations. This species is said to prefer to lay its eggs in moss. 

 The young hatch in spring and the young nymphs become adults in 

 the fall. There is undoubtedly only one brood each year, but adults 

 seem to be present the year round, as the over-wintering adults do 

 not die off until the nymphs have become adult in the fall. 



Control. 



Preventives. — As this insect is especially fond of low, marshy 

 situations, and as the worst infested beds were beds near marshes, it 

 would seem that a good deal of the injury due to this insect might 

 be prevented by avoiding such situations. 



Remedies. — It is not easy to control this insect once it has gained 

 entrance to the seedbeds, as the plants are growing very rapidly and 

 it is almost impossible to keep the buds covered with poison all the 

 time. The locusts in the beds are reinforced by locusts from outside 

 continually, and they seem to be able to do much damage to the young 

 plants when sprayed but once per week. Every effort should be made 

 to keep the locusts out of the beds. Perhaps the best preventive is 

 pure kerosene sprayed about the edge of the beds, taking care not 

 to touch any of the tobacco plants with the mixture, as it would kill 

 all plants touched. It would be necessary to spray a strip at least 

 three feet wide all around the seedbed. Kerosene emulsion may be 

 sprayed directly onto the plant or used to spray a strip about the 

 beds, as the Grouse Locust did not cross a strip of tobacco sprayed 

 this way. In one seedbed at Stem they did not injure tobacco next to 

 plants sprayed with kerosene emulsion, although they were bad at 

 the other end of the same bed. Arsenate of lead at the rate of 8 to 10 

 pounds to 50 gallons of water, if used every three or four days, will 

 keep the Grouse Locust in check, although it will not be completely 

 successful. 



Pith Worms. 



There seems to be two kinds of insects confused under this one 

 name. Mr. Sherman tells me that he has been hearing of Pith Worm? 

 in tobacco almost ever since he has been in the State, but that he has 



