218 



LOCUSTS, HOPPERS, SURFACE BEETLES, ETC. 



about one hundred eggs (fig. 25), which hatch in about six weeks. 

 The young are green and complete their development in about two 

 months (figs. 27, 28, 257, 258). 



Eggs are laid with the first heavy rains in June or July, and the 

 perfect insect emerges in October. From October to June it lives as a 

 flying insect ; its colour is at first brown with light stripes, forming the 

 e dry grass ' colour which is protective to it in the long dry grass in which 

 it lives. It then forms swarms and becomes suffused with a vivid red, 

 which persists during about four months ; throughout this time it lives in 

 immense swarms in the Ghat forests until in April and May it scatters. 

 In 1904} these swarms spread over an immense area and in May broke 

 up, single locusts being found scattered throughout this area. This is 

 preliminary to coupling, which commences with the rains ; the locust now 

 assumes a darker colouring, the red giving place to blacks and browns ; 

 this colour scheme hides the insect when sitting on wet grass-land or 

 soil where it lays its eggs. 



The life cycle occupies one year, and egg-laying is performed at 

 this special season. The young are found scattered through the long 

 green grass during the rainy months and do not form swarms. The 



Fia. 257. 

 Young Bombay Locust after third moult. (Magnified five times.) 



earliest swarms are found in October when, as the grass ripens, the insects 

 enter the crops, feed there and then migrate back to the forests. The 

 forest region is, therefore, the home of this locust which migrates only to 

 breed or when extraordinarily abundant, 



