Grasshoppers 



Field Crickets 



and owls found in the United States but six are considered really injurious. 

 These are the gyrfalcon, duck hawk, sharp-shinned hawk, Cooper's hawk, 

 goshawk and great horned owl. 



The little sparrow hawk and the large, dark brown Swainson's hawk 

 are noted insect eaters. Both of these feed freely upon grasshoppers. 



Fungous Diseases 



During late sum- 

 mer numbers of 

 dead grasshoppers 

 are always observed 

 clinging to weeds 

 and other plants 

 along the roadside 

 or field border. 

 These have been 

 killed by a fungous 

 disease (Empusa 

 gryWiFres.). Grass- 

 hoppers attacked 

 by this disease 

 climb to the top of 

 some plant when 

 about to die and 

 clasp it with their 

 fore legs. (Fig. 19, 

 Page 109). In this 

 position they die 

 and remain clinging 

 until their bodies 

 become so decom- 

 posed that they 

 fall to the ground. 

 This seems to be 

 the most common 

 disease attacking 

 grasshoppers. 

 However, there are 

 several other fun- 

 gous as well as bacterial diseases which destroy some grasshoppers 

 nearly every year. 



4. FIELD CRICKETS 



(Fig. 7, Plate IV, Page 17) 



Crickets are familiar objects during late summer and early fall. 

 Their lively chirping during mild fall evenings seems to add to the general 

 spirit of harvest cheer. Yet these dusky cousins of the grasshopper are 

 not without their bad habits. In fact, they are noted for their appetites 

 and their liking for such articles as binder twine, clothes, carpets and 



109 



Fig. 19. Grasshoppers killed by the Fungous Disease, 

 Empusa grylli 



