44 



INJURIOUS AND BENEFICIAL INSECTS OF CALIFORNIA. 



the sexes mate in July and August. Egg-laying begins the last of 

 A.ugus1 and continues through September and the early part of 

 October. 



Distribution. — The two-striped grasshopper occurs throughout the 

 State, bu1 is more abundant in the interior valleys and the Sierra 

 foothills. 



Food Plants. — Like many other species of this genus, the two- 

 striped grasshopper prefers green succulent vegetation as alfalfa, 

 clover, corn, rank weeds, oats, grass and other plants of similar char- 

 acter. 



THE DEVASTATING GRASSHOPPER 



Melanoplu8 devastator Scudder 36 



(Figs. 38, 39) 



Description. — This is one of the smaller grasshoppers, averaging 

 about 1 inch in length. The general color is amber or brownish with 

 dark markings on the sides of the 

 prothorax and on the tegmina. 

 On the hind femora there are 

 three distinct dark spots and 

 dark tip. The hind tibiae are 

 distinctly bine at their bases, 

 gradually becoming amber to- 

 wards the tips. The hind or 

 true wings are transparent. The 

 antetnne are light amber. The 

 young are lighter in color and 

 usually without markings. 



Life History. — This is par- 

 tially a migratory species which 

 at times works from the foothills 

 to the cultivated lands below. 

 The eggs are deposited in the 

 ground in the foothills, which 

 air the special breeding grounds. 

 Late in June the grasshoppers 

 often become very destructive 

 and though they feed mostly on 

 the grass of the ranges, fruit 

 trees and small crops in those 

 regions are often completely de- 

 stroyed. In the late summer and 

 fall the adults collect in the 

 breeding places and deposit their 

 eggs for the next year's broods. 



Distribution. — This is the 

 most abundant of the destructive 

 grasshoppers and is found 



Fig. 38. — The devasting grasshopper, Mel- 

 anoplua devastator Scudd. Slightly enlarged. 

 (Original I 



i iriety (Melanoplus devastator conspiouus Scudd.) is somewhat larger than the 

 above with more i lounced black spots on the front wings. 



