IN THE FIELD 213 



Its life history is briefly as follows : There are three broods 

 in Minnesota, and probably also in the states in the same 

 latitude. The last brood hibernates in the ground Jn the 

 adult form. Early in spring the beetles fly about, and 

 invade new territory ; and as soon as the first potato plants 

 appear, they deposit their dark yellow eggs on the under 

 side of the leaves near the tips. In about four or five 

 weeks the larvae are full grown, and descend into the 

 ground for pupation ; and in a short time the adult beetles 

 emerge from the pupae, and start a second brood. 



Remedies. Kill or poison all the beetles to be found in 

 early spring. A little Paris green or London purple applied 

 early and repeatedly will kill most of the bugs that have 

 wintered. Of course, all farmers should do that. As one 

 female beetle lays about five hundred eggs, you can figure 

 out what its progeny would be for three broods, supposing 

 that one-half of the eggs develop into female beetles. Your 

 figures will show that one lazy and careless farmer can 

 fairly well keep up the stock for a whole county. 



35. The Grasshoppers or Locusts. 



MATERIAL : A number of large grasshoppers in bottles ; young at 

 different stages of development ; egg masses ; plants injured by grass- 

 hoppers. It is not necessary that the children should distinguish the 

 different species of grasshoppers. 



There are so many species of grasshoppers in the United 

 States that no attempt can be made here to distinguish 

 them. For the several kinds of injurious locusts, see your 

 State Reports, and C. V. Riley, " Destructive Locusts," Bul- 

 letin No. 25, United States Department of Agriculture. 



One of the most common species is the red-legged locust, 

 which measures about one and one-quarter inches from the 

 head to the end of the wings. This species is not migratory, 



Are the fields in your vicinity well cultivated? 



