114 B.C. Entomological Society. 



Provinces, the species chiefly responsible being M. atlanis, M. femur- 

 rubrum, and M. bivittatus. During these two years (1895 and 1896) these 

 three species mentioned above were reported as injurious to crops and range 

 grasses in several parts of Canada, especially where droughts prevailed. 

 In 1896 the climax of this outbreak in Ontario and Quebec was apparently 

 reached, for in 1897 these Provinces were comparatively free from locusts, 

 the notable absence of locusts being probably due to the great abundance of 

 their parasites in 1896. In 1898 a bad outbreak occurred in Manitoba, and 

 this outbreak lasted until 1903. The commencement of this outbreak in 

 Manitoba was important on account of the fact that in this year the Rocky 

 Mountain locust (M. spretus), not an important species as regards damage 

 done in Canada since the outbreak of 1868- 1874, where it alone was 

 responsible for most of the damage, was again the chief destructive specie. 

 Three other species were recorded as present in lesser numbers — namely, 

 M. atlanis, M. minor, and Camnula pellucida. In 1900 this outbreak in 

 Manitoba was still serious ; M. spretus was, however, not so much in 

 evidence, but M. packardii, with M. atlanis and Camnula pellucida, were 

 the chief destructive species. During the years 1901 and 1902 the Manitoba 

 outbreak continued, but was controlled locally by the use of poisoned bran- 

 mash. At this time M. atlanis was the chief species present ; M. spretus 

 and M. packardii were on the decrease, M. bivittatus and Camnula 

 pellucida taking their places. In 1903 the same species as in the past three 

 years were again numerous in Manitoba, but this appeared to be their final 

 year in this particular outbreak, for in 1904, 1905, and 1906 no serious 

 damage from locusts was reported. In 1909 and 1910 parts of Manitoba 

 and Ontario and Quebec were again injured by locusts. In 1914 and 1915 

 Ontario suffered badly from the ravages of M. atlanis and Camnula 

 pellucida. During the year 1916 no serious locust damage was reported. 



Locust Outbre.\ks in B.C. 



The accounts of these outbreaks are taken from the reports of the 

 Dominion Entomologist, except that in the account of the 1914 outbreak in 

 the Nicola Valley the report of Mr. R. C. Treherne, Field Officer, Dominion 

 Entomological Branch, was the chief source of my information, and in 1919 

 I was able to visit the outbreaks myself. The earliest record of locust- 

 injury in British Columbia contained in these reports is in 1890, where 

 locusts are reported to have " caused complete havoc in the Nicola Valley. 

 In 1895 Camnula pellucida was extremely abundant and destructive between 

 Vernon and Kelowna." 



The next outbreak we hear of in British Columbia is in 1898 in the 

 Nicola Valley, and in a letter from Mr. Pooley to the Dominion 

 Entomologist of September 7th, 1898, he says : " Injury done by the hoppers 

 was principally to the ranges and bunch-grass pasture-fields; also con- 

 siderable injury to the oats, by their eating off the small stem which connects 

 the grain with the straw, and consequently all the oats were lodged on the 

 ground. Injury to wheat, not any; peas scarcely perceptible. This is the 

 second time the grasshoppers have appeared in our valley. The first time 



