60 LOWER PTERYGOTA 



over some parts of northern Africa. The old-world species 

 is represented in this country most nearly by the western 

 migratory locust or the grasshopper of the western plains, 

 Melanoplus spretus. This western species, the devastating 

 locust, is far less destructive in the aggregate than one or 

 two other species, but has attracted more attention because 

 of complete devastation which follows its appearance. 

 There is one species in Argentina that has attracted a great 

 deal of attention and has been a great menace to the crops 

 of that country. 



The Devastating Locust. — The devastating or Rocky 

 Mountain locust, is limited in its normal distribution to the 

 plateau region of the Rockies, the normal conditions for its 

 survival being the high altitude, dry atmosphere, and a 

 supply of grassy vegetation. They are most dependent on 

 the buffalo grass or other native grasses. The species became 

 important during the days of early settlement of that portion 

 of country just east of the mountains, because at times, 

 when vegetation ran short in its native breeding ground, it 

 migrated sometimes 300, 400 or 500 miles, reaching places 

 that were settled and proving extremely destructive to 

 growing crops. During the late 70's they were such a serious 

 source of injury that a very decisive effort was made to 

 work out their habits, life history, and means of suppression. 

 It is now generally assumed that it is only under conditions 

 when it becomes extremely abundant and must migrate that 

 it causes serious devastation outside of its regular breeding 

 ground. 



The adults may fly long distances and after finding suit- 

 ble places for depositing eggs, bore into the ground with 

 the ovipositor and abdomen for one and a half or two inches. 

 The process consists of merely pressing the earth away by 

 the ovipositor, and denotes a great degree of power because 

 the eggs are preferably deposited in hard ground where 

 the soil is packed. The eggs are coated with a glutinous 

 secretion which protects them from the weather and they 

 remain in these little burrows through autumn and winter 

 and liatch early in spring. Sometimes they hatch before 



