48 



INJURIOUS AND BENEFICIAL INSECTS OF CALIFORNIA. 



Distribution. — Tli is species is widely distributed throughout the 

 Stale, but is most abundant in the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys. 



Food Plants. — All forms of vegetation, including the foliage of 

 orchards and vineyards, uncultivated field crops, such as alfalfa, clover, 

 barley, oat, wheat, etc., and cultivated crops, such as vegetables, corn, 

 potatoes, etc., are attacked. 



THE LARGE VAGRANT GRASSHOPPER 

 Schistocerca vaga (Scudder) 28 



(Fig. 42) 



Description. — This is a very large species attaining a length of 

 from 2 to 2^ inches. The general color is light brown with a light 

 longitudinal stripe on the dorsum and distinct dark spots on the 

 wing covers. The posterior tip of the pronotum forms a right angle. 



Life History. — The vagrant grasshopper is non-migrator t y and is 

 seldom found excepting -singly. The winter is passed in the adult and 



Fil 



-The large vagrant grasshopper, Schistocerca vaga (Scudd. ). Sli 

 enlarged. (Original) 



;-htly 



not in the egg-stage as is the case of the more destructive species 

 already referred to. The eggs are laid in fields and pastures in the 

 spring about May and the young come to maturity by fall. There 

 is but one brood a year. 



-*K>v to species of Schistocerca found in California. (By A. N. Caudell, Bur. 

 Ent. U. S. Dept. Agric.) 



a. Lateral lobes of the pronotum distinctly marked along 



the middle with a solid black longitudinal stripe vaga Scudder 



Lateral lobes of the prothorax immaculate, without 



solid longitudinal black stripe b 



b. Pronotum with a median dorsal stripe which continues 



more or less along the closed tegmina c 



Pronotum without median dorsal stripe d 



c. Posterior tibiae red venusta Scudder 



Posterior tibiae not red alutacea (Harris) 



d. General color greenish, the elytra almost or quite im- 



maculate and the posterior tibiae red shoshone Thomas 



General color brown, the elytra more or less distinctly 



maculate and the posterior tibiae not red carinata Scudder 



