47 



United States Entomological Commission was formed, which published 

 from 187T to 1879 two voluminous reports on it alone. A shorter 

 account of this and some of the other more important grasshoppers 

 discussed in the Commission Reports is furnished in Bulletin No. 25 

 (o. s.), Division of Entomology. 



THE DIFFERENTIAL LOCTJST. 



{MeIcmoj)lus differentialis Thomas.) 



In Kansas and Nebraska and elsewhere in the Middle West the 

 farmer is much bothered at times b}^ the large yellow locust, shown in 

 figure 46. It can usually be found along roadsides and on the edges of 

 groves, preferring rank 

 vegetation where such 

 abounds. When it be- 

 comes unusually numer- 

 ous it is quite destructive 

 to vegetable crops and to 

 cereals: in fact, it is rated 



F:g. 43. — ilelanoplus differentialis, natural size (after Riley). 



by some as next in importance to tlic two species which have been 

 considered. Two forms of this insect make their home in the Middle 

 West — a 3'ellow form, which is the commonest, and a black one. They 

 do not appear to differ otherwise than in color. 



THE TWO-STSIPED LOCUST. 



[Melanoplus hiviltatus Say.) 



The name two-striped locust and the accompanying illustration 

 (fig. 47) together with the statement that the ground color of this 



species is brown, striped with 

 yellow, is sufficient for its deter- 

 mination. It is somewhat vari- 

 able, however. Like others of 

 its kind it develpps where vege- 

 tation is rank, in weed patches 

 and in low ground, and after 

 exhausting the vegetation in 

 such localities it enters gardens 

 and cornfields and does much inj^uy to crops. It occurs from the 

 Atlantic to the Pacific, and from the Gulf States to far North. 



Fig. 47. — JIdanuulus bivittatus, natural size (after 

 Riley). 



METHODS OF CONTROL. 



Grasshoppers are generally kept within normal numbers by numer- 

 ous natural agencies, among which are nearly all large forms of insec- 

 ti\'Orous birds and mammals, batrachians and reptiles, and fungous 

 diseases. They also have large numbers of predaceous and parasitic 



