SB 

 818 

 C578 

 ENT 



No. A^, Second Serics. 



lited States Department of Agriculture, 



DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY, 



L. O. Howard, Entomologist. 



THE PEKIOUK AL CICADA IN 1902. 



The present season will witness the occurrence of one of the 

 largest known broods of the periodical cicada {Cicada septende- 

 cini Linn., fig. 1). Aside from its extended range, this brood, 

 designated as Number X (Marlatt's notation), attracts especial atten- 

 tion by reason of the fact that it has been observed and recorded at 

 regular intervals of sev- 

 enteen years since 1715. 

 In all seventeen States, 

 many of which are im- 

 portant fruit-producing 

 ones, will be concerned. 

 It is well known that 

 the adults of this insect 

 deposit their eggs in in- 

 cisions they make in the 

 tender twigs of trees and 

 shrubs. The damage, 

 sometimes amoiinting 

 to the actual destruction 

 of newly transplanted 

 young trees, that is thus fig. l.-a, Ckada seiAeiidecim, adult; /<, same, side view; 

 caused makes this OC- '' ^'''^'^ pupal skin; rf, twig showing egg punctures— natural 

 ' . size (original). 



currence one ot consid- 

 erable economic importance. In fact, though the degree of danger 

 depends somewhat upon the location of the orchard as regards the 

 proximity of woods, any young trees transplanted this spring in 

 the region where the cicada will appear are likely to be somewhat 

 seriously affected. These regions are marked upoil the accompany- 

 ing map (fig. 2), and are indicated accurately, as far as known, by 

 counties in the following list. It should be understood that in these 

 localities the settlement of the country has had a strong effect toward 

 breaking up the swarms into isolated ])orti()ns. Consecpientlj^ in 

 many places where cicadas emerged thirty-four years ago none may 

 be seen this year. Persons contemplating the setting out of orchards 

 should therefore ascertain from old residents whether the insects 

 appeared in the immediate vicinity seventeen j'ears ago. If this is 

 the case, it is by all means advisable to defer the transplanting of 

 trees till fall, or, if the climate does not permit fall-planting, until 



