464 REPORT UNITED STATES ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 



Chinendaga, passing eastward as far as Nagarote, in swarms, and thence along the 

 coast-range, entering the Department of Eivas in June, devastated that department of 

 its crop of indigo, with a very few exceptions. Corn, not well advanced, was in a 

 like manner destroyed, and the second crop nearly one-half. The pastures of Para and 

 Guinea grass when invaded also disappeared. They eat anything that is within their 

 circuit useful to man, except rice and quiquisque. The plantain, on which the poorer 

 class rely as their principal food, the y left destitute of leaves. Oranges and cocoanuts 

 were not omitted in their bill of fare ; also hedges of mango trees were eaten in cer- 

 tain locations ; the cactus hedges, although hard and acrid, were a delicate morsel for 

 them, and many fields were left open to the invasion of cattle and others for their 

 exit. 



Was in Rivas 20th day of last July and fore part of August ; also from September 

 12 to December 12. Then the third generation was hatching out. Eggs recently laid 

 were placed in a glass bottle, and in twenty-two days all hatched out, and were quite 

 lively. They lived a few days thus shut up without food. They were more destruc- 

 tive in Rivas than here, as the swarms of the first invaders, after reaching Nagarote, 

 kept down the coast range southerly, leaving in all their course immense swarms, 

 selecting open places, and especially those that were in any way cultivated. These 

 commenced laying, the male remaining attached, until the female deposited all of her 

 eggs, and then dying. Often you see a male alive attached to his dead mate. In 

 twenty-two days the first young appear and attach themselves to any herb or grass 

 that is near. These are the most destructive to agriculturists. A spear of grass, a 

 stalk of corn, an indigo-plant, any plant, is so completely covered that its color is not 

 discernible. They delay three months ere their wings are matured sufficiently to fly 

 well. They then visit the best location, flying in swarms in all conceivable directions ; 

 one course to-day and another to-morrow; preparing for the final flight in searcti of 

 proper hatching ground. Those entering the State last year leaving descendants 

 along their route, appeared here last year too late in June to destroy the first corn- 

 crop, only in certain localities. Their descendants did much damage to other crops of 

 grass, corn, plantains, beans, &c., coming to maturity in the latter part of December 

 and fore part of January, seeking the mountains and forest, and the coast all to the 

 west and south of here, and entering the long stretch of forest between Rivas and 

 Costa Rica, reproducing in these localities during the dry season ; few only of those 

 that arrived last year ; the first ones reached Costa Rica, and did but Lttle damage in 

 Liberia; but those that incubated in the forest about Rivas and below, migrated to 

 Costa Rica early in June, and have disseminated over the entire State. 



So rigorous were the measures adopted by that government that the military re- 

 fused to comply, and in trying to enforce it the incumbent governor was forced to 

 resign, giving place to Guardia, who revoked them. Have no news from there relative 

 to the destruction caused this year. While there, from April 20 to May 5, saw a large 

 swarm at Siete Cuero, flying east from the coast April 28, 3 p. m. to 5 p. m. On the 

 1st of May, near the foot of Rincon Mountain, saw another swarm flying west from 11 

 a. m. to 3 p. m. ; both days clear and very hot ; the only two seen not very dense; wind 

 northeast, strong. 



The means adopted for their destruction when young, was ditching in places most 

 convenient for driving the young, which could not escape, into the trenches, where they 

 died. When in flight each farmer did what he could to prevent their alighting. This 

 in most cases resulted injuriously to his neighbor. A tax of 50 cents, or a day's labor, per 

 capita per month was levied on all men from 18 to 50 ; this was collected only one mcnth. 

 An old law existed of which I am ignorant — was more onerous. The local authorities 

 of each village compelled the men to work in exterminating the young — generally in 

 ditching, killing many, beating them toward the ditches with brush. In Rivas many 

 were destroyed this year, that department being better adapted for their destruction. 

 Here it is quite difficult — isolated fields alternating with uncultivated spots of wood 

 and brush, making it almost impossible to drive them. Each owner now has, in 



