Grasshopper Control in the Pacific States. 13 
and on outlying waste areas, where no expensive crops are in danger, 
this is a good practice. But grasshoppers abundantly infesting 
alfalfa fields, orchards, vineyards, or bean fields can seldom be 
satisfactorily controlled by this method. The turkeys feed for a 
short time and then rest. Their presence also interferes’ with other 
and more effective control measures. 
CONTROL ON THE RANGES. 
The earliest appearance of grasshoppers is usually on the gravel 
soils of the rolling range lands which are warmed by the first 
sunny spring days. Four or five species frequently appear as very 
small, wingless nymphs, hopping among the grasses. One species 
may be especially abundant in a certain locality and a different 
species most abundant just a few miles away’ The nymphs feed 
upon the grasses and develop rapidly. Winged forms usually be- 
come abundant in May and June. By this time the grasses on the 
unirrigated areas and foothills of California usually mature and dry. 
It is at this time that the grasshoppers migrate to green fields and 
orchards in the irrigated districts. The most pronounced migrations 
from the ranges follow hot winds and rapid drying of range grasses. 
Every effort should then be made to control these pests. The poi- 
soned bran mixture has been most effective, and may be used with 
good results at reasonable cost. Migration sometimes can be checked 
by burning over an area from 20 to 40 rods wide between the infested 
grass lands and the farming community. Sometimes the grass- 
hoppers are especially abundant on certain sunny slopes, where they 
can be effectively poisoned. If the area of uncultivated country is 
too large to cover with poisoned bran, much can be accomplished by 
spreading the poison in strips with grain seeders, driving about 200 
feet apart, and not attempting to cover the area completely. 
It is sometimes possible to drive grasshoppers back from cultivated 
fields, and concentrate them for more effective poisoning, by herding 
sheep slowly back and forth, thus keeping the grasshoppers moving 
in the desired direction. 
CONTROL IN ALFALFA FIELDS. 
Alfalfa fields become infested from two principal sources. The 
early infestations usually come from waste areas and range lands 
when the migratory grasshoppers become active. This may be fol- 
lowed by the abundant hatching of one or two additional species on 
the cool soils of irrigated fields. Melanoplus differentialis Thomas, 
a large and most destructive grasshopper, greatly favors alfalfa as 
food, and deposits its eggs on the ridges, ditch banks, and fence lines. 
M. marginatus Scudder, a small, short-winged form, is also a de- 
