\ 
THE GRASSHOPPER PROBLEM AND ALFALFA CULTURE. 5 
S. hunteri Hough, and S. georgina Wied. (fig. 5) sometimes sweep these 
locusts off in myriads. These flies deposit minute, elongate maggots 
on the surface of the bodies of the grasshoppers. The young mag- 
gots make their way directly into the body of their host, and as they 
grow and develop there they feed upon the living insect. When full 
grown the maggots go into the ground and within a brown case 
transform to flies. Quite recently Mr. E. O. G. Kelly, of the Bureau 
of Entomology, has discovered a species of Sarcophaga attacking 
grasshoppers in great numbers in the State of Kansas. This species 
deposits the tiny maggots upon the outstretched wings of the grass- 
hopper when in flight, whence the maggots make their way into the 
soft integuments of the body. Mr. H. E. Smith observed the same 
species likewise depositing its larve on its victims while the latter 
were quietly clinging to 
vegetation. This species 
was found to be new to 
science, and has been de- 
scribed under the name 
of Sarcophaga kellyi by 
Dr. J. M. Aldrich. 
While all of these nat- 
ural enemies do much 
to hold the pests in 
check, there are two or 
three vegetable para- 
sites that also kill off 
myriads of them, the 
dead bodies of the 
grasshoppers destroyed 
thereby often being 
conspicuous objects as 
they cling to the weeds and grass where death overtook them (see 
fiz. 6). One of these fungous parasites is the same as that attacking 
the chinch bug, and is known to science as Sporotrichum globuli- 
ferum. <A group of grasshoppers that have been killed by this fun- 
gus is shown in figure 7. 
While it will be seen that there is no lack of natural enemies of 
these grasshoppers, and while all of them are of benefit to the farmer, 
they do not and never will afford absolute protection from the rav- 
ages of these pests in the alfalfa fields. The reason for this is plain. 
By growing a single plant over large areas the farmer produces an 
unnatural condition and offers unnatural advantages for the devel- 
opment of the enemies of this plant, the grasshoppers. It is really 
the number of plants that invites insect attack. So, also, it is the 
great number of grasshoppers congregated together in masses that 
invites attack from natural enemies, and it is only when this condi- 
68212°—Bull. 637—15——2 
Fie. 5.—Sarcophaga georgina, a parasitic fly that destroys grass- 
hoppers. Much enlarged. (Author’s illustration.) 
