NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



pests. When the fertile winged males and females 

 issue forth to establish fresh colonies, the birds assemble 

 and feed greedily on them. After rain the worker 

 termites are usually active on top of their mounds, 

 adding to them. When thus exposed they are a ready 

 prey of birds. Our feathered friends of nearly every 

 species are incessantly hunting this pest in the air, 

 amidst dead and decaying leaves, on tree trunks, 

 behind loose bark, and its various other lurking 

 and feeding places. Among game birds, partridges, 

 guinea-fowls, and quails are immensely useful as 

 termite destrovers. 



LOCUSTS 



All the locusts (Locustida) are vegetable feeders. 

 There are a large number of species. Some kinds, 

 such as the migratory locust, often assemble in vast 

 swarms and strip the country of vegetation. Locusts 

 lay eggs in the ground. These hatch into small, 

 wingless locusts. They live on the ground and 

 develop wings when adult. In some species the 

 wings do not mature. 



The Locustid<e include all the long-horned grass- 

 hoppers. 



The short-horned grasshoppers (Acridid<e) are also 

 vegetable feeders, and both they and the locusts are 

 pests. Some species of tree grasshoppers attack and 

 destroy caterpillars, but the good they do in this 



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