46 THE RICE GBAS SHOPPER 



the grasshoppers remain, for the most part, feeding on 

 the grass bordering paddy fields. Later, in September 

 and October, they go over in large numbers on to the 

 paddy. This change seems, at least partially, due to the 

 fact that the grass is cut off by the raiyats. The most 

 apparent damage done to the paddy is in cutting through 

 the stem so that the ears fall to the ground. 



6. Eggs are laid in October — December, chiefly in the 

 grassy bunds, very exceptionally in paddy fields themselves, 

 in masses at a depth up to two inches. A single female is 

 capable of laying as many as four masses and a total of 

 over a hundred eggs. 



7. Ploughing the bunds either to expose or to bury 

 the egg-masses cannot, from our present knowledge, be 

 recommended. It is possible that shallow ploughing of 

 the bunds accompanied by breaking of clods about one 

 month before emergence may prove of value but this has 

 yet to be tested. 



8. The natural enemies of the Eice Grasshopper 

 are few and unimportant. Climatic conditions do not 

 appear to affect the growing or adult grasshoppers appre- 

 ciably. The eggs, if exposed to the direct action of 

 drought or moisture by breaking the egg-masses, are killed. 



9. The use of poisons for combating the Eice Grass- 

 hopper is ineffective and costly and cannot be recom- 

 mended. 



10. The most efficient method of combating these 

 grasshoppers is by catching them in bags, as described 

 above, on the bunds soon after they emerge and before 

 they migrate to the paddy or sugar-cane. 



During the printing of this bulletin, there has appear- 

 ed an article in the Agricultural Journal of India, Vol. VI, 

 part II, April 1911, page 147, by Mr. Bainbrigge Fletcher, 

 Officiating Imperial Entomologist, dealing in a popular 

 way with this pest as it occurs in the United Provinces. 

 It appears that the pest in that part of India does most 



