104 INSECT PESTS OF FARM, GARDEN AND ORCHARD 



Almost all of our common birds, as well as many of the smaller 

 mammals, are known to feed quite largely upon them. 



A small red mite (Trombidium locustarum Riley), somewhat 



FIG. 85. Two tachina-flies. (Exorista leucanios Kirk, and E. flavicauda 

 Riley.) (After Riley.) 



resembling the common red spider infesting greenhouses, is 

 often of great value not only in killing the nymphs by great 

 numbers of them sucking out the life-juices of the young hopper, 

 but also in greedily feeding upon the eggs. 



The maggots of several species 

 of Tachina-flies are of consider- 

 able value in parasitizing both 

 nymphs and adult locusts. 

 Their eggs are laid on the neck 

 of a locust, and, upon hatching, 

 the maggots pierce the skin and 

 FIG. 86. Common flesh-fly (Sarco- live i ns i de by absorbing its juices 

 phaga carnana Linn.): a, larva; 6, f 



pupa; c, fly. Hair-lines show natural and tissues. When full grown 

 size. _ (After Riley.) t h e maggots leave the locust, 



descend into the earth, and there transform to pupae inside of their 

 cast skins, and from the pupae the adult flies emerge in due time. 

 The maggots of one of the Bee-flies (Systcechus oreas) feed 

 upon grasshopper eggs, but their life history is not fully known. 

 The common Flesh-fly (Sarcophaga carnaria Linn.), Fig. 86, is 

 also very destructive, though largely a scavenger. 



But of all the insects attacking locusts, the Blister-beetles, 

 which, unfortunately, are often known to us as very injurious 

 to various garden crops, are probably of the most value. The 

 female beetle deposits from four to five hundred of her yellowish 

 eggs in irregular masses in loose ground, and in about ten days 



