TWENTY-FOURTH REPORT OF STATE ENTOMOLOGIST 9 



Nebraska, and Minnesota in 1931, and in North Dakota and Minne- 

 sota in 1932, threatened the complete destruction of crops over large 

 parts of those states. One of them spent over a quarter of a million 

 dollars fighting grasshoppers in 1932. Next year the Canadian pro- 

 vinces to the north expect a widespread and severe infestation. This 

 statement is made for comparative purposes, for while Montana had 

 slight to moderate outbreaks in 1931 and 1932 in no case did they 

 reach the critical stage of destructiveness which was common in 

 districts east of us. 



Grasshoppers in 1931. Lake and Flathead counties experienced 

 rather small but severe outbreaks of the warrior grasshopper 

 (Camnida peJlucida Scud.). These appeared in small bands, a cir- 

 cumstance which made control operations against them very effective. 

 Flathead County also had an increase in the lesser migratory species 

 {Melanoplus mexicanus Sauss.). The trouble expected from the 

 warrion 'hopper in the Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, did 

 not materialize, but the two-striped grasshopper {M. hivittatus Say) 

 caused severe loss of crop in a small area near Dell in this coimty. 

 Supplies already on hand made it possible to poison them rather 

 promptly but not before some losses had occurred. This infestation 

 was confined to an irrigated district. 



Cascade, Chouteau, Hill, Liberty, and Fergus counties had grass- 

 hoppers in sufficient numbers to make poisoning necessary. The 

 most extensive areas in which grasshoppers increased and caused 

 moderate losses were in the eastern counties bordering North Dakota, 

 and along river bottoms in Kosebud and Custer counties where 

 alfalfa grown for seed was severely damaged. 



Grasshoppers ix 1932. The extent of grasshopper trouble in the 

 state in 1932 is indicated in Figure 2. Fourteen counties appropriated 

 money from their insect pest funds as follows : 



Cascade $ 50 Pondera $ 200 



Custer 50 Prairie 60 



Dawson 216 Richland 315 



Fergus 1150 Roosevelt 229 



Flathead 110 Rosebud 150 



Hill 150 Valley 200 



Lewis and Clark 50 Wibaux 30 



Total $2960 



