42 



INJURIOUS AND BENEFICIAL INSECTS OP CALIFORNIA. 



tive to grasshoppers. Hair worms (Gordius and Mermis) feed within 

 the hodies and a fungus (Empusa grylli) kills many grasshoppers in 

 damp weather. 



Predaceous Enemies. — The predaceous ground beetles (Carabidm) , 

 tiger beetles (Cicindelida?) , robber flies (Asilidce) , wasps (Sphecina and 

 Vespina) all prey on the young and adult grasshoppers. 



Egg Destroyers.— The most noted destroyer of eggs is the locust 

 mite (Trombidium locustarum Riley). Other mites and the following 

 insects also prey upon them: the anthomyia egg-parasites (Anthomyia 

 sp.) and a chalcid (Caloptenobia sp.) are parasitic; the larva? and 

 adults of the predaceous ground beetles, and soldier-beetles (Chauli- 

 ognathini) and the larva? of the robber flies and blister beetles (Meloida) 

 all feed on the eggs. 



THE YELLOW-WINGED OR PELLUCID GRASSHOPPER 



Camnula pellucida Scudder 

 (Fig. 37) 



Description.— The adults are slightly over 1 inch in length and 

 quite variable in color, ranging from light yellow to dark ashy-brown, 

 with well-defined black markings and two amber lines along the angles 

 of the tegmina, noticeable when resting. These lines merge about one 

 third the distance from the base. The head and thorax are darker than 

 the abdomen. The basal halves 

 of the antennae are light while 

 the apical portions are dark. 

 The first two pairs of legs and 

 hind femora are concolorous 

 with the body, the hind 

 femora also having darker 

 markings, while the hind 

 tibia? are light yellow. The 

 young are very dark in color, 

 often almost black. 



Life History.— This is one 

 of the well-known migratory 

 species, often flying in great 

 swarms, and is sometimes a 

 pest in the more northern 

 states west of the Mississippi 

 River, and in those just east 

 of if too. The eggs are laid in 

 small sacs in sandy or gravelly soil. They are deposited during August 

 and hatch in May and June. The growth of the young grasshoppers is 

 very rapid, so that within a month they have acquired wings and are 

 ready to migrate. The breeding places are often located in the higher 

 altitudes, and the adults migrate to the lowlands, many remaining along 

 the path to lay their eggs for the following year. In the fall the species 

 returns to old or selects new breeding grounds to deposit the over- 

 wintering eggs. 





Fig. 37. — The pellucid grasshopper, Cam- 

 nula pellucida Scudder. Natural size. (Orig- 

 inal) 



