[180] REPORT UNITED STATES ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 



Birds have destroyed many of the young insects this spring. Blackbirds, being so 

 numerous, already have the thanks of the country for the very great benefit they con- 

 ferred upon us. Domestic fowls, prairie chickens, blackbirds, and quails partake of 

 the eggs as well as the insects. 



In the fall of 1874, the country was surprised to see numbers of small grasshoppers. 

 The young insects were killed by cold weather that fall. We have not noticed any 

 plants that the young eat but what the full-grown like as well. When they were 

 here in 1874, they first eat the corn nearest maturity, whereas in 1876 they only injured 

 the earliest corn, while they eat the latest. Their taste seems to differ with the times. 

 Wild buckwheat is a great favorite with them, while they are partial to onions, cab- 

 bages, carrots, beans, asparagus, parsnips, and most garden-vegetables. Pease seem to 

 be as little relished as anything they reject. Never been any injury to grass here. Be- 

 sides birds, snakes, frogs, and toads eat the insects. They will eat, when full-grown, 

 during the night. I had a field of corn in 1874 that was standing and not seriously 

 damaged when night commenced. The next morning it was only corn-stalks, leaves 

 and ears having been eaten as early as daybreak. When the insects drop upon us they 

 remain only as long as the wind is unfavorable to take them upon their apparently 

 desired course ; as soon as it changes to suit they depart. — [J. Vosburgh, May 24, 1877. 



Fremont, Dodge County.— Have not had eggs hatch here in the fall. In 1^73 the 

 Texas 'hopper deposited eggs here in June; these hatched in about two weeks,. I 

 think.— [G. F. Blanchard, May 11, 1877. 



Feiend, Saline County. — The time that swarms arrive varies in accordance to ad- 

 verse winds to their general course. In 1873, the locusts, in passing from the north- 

 east, encountered a southwest wind, which caused them to alight in great numbers, 

 August 27, at about 4 p. m. On the following day, the wind having changed to the 

 north, a considerable number of them passed on toward the southwest. In 1876, their 

 first appearance was August 25, at 3 p. m. They came from the northwest, the wind 

 being favorable to their general course. They evinced no inclination to migrate fur- 

 ther, but deposited their eggs and remained till cold finally put a stop to their exist- 

 ence. Their descent has been either during clear, warm days, or upon the approach 

 of sudden storms. The general direction of swarms is alternately from north to 

 south, going south, where they deposit their eggs, and when the young are suflQcietitly 

 large to fly going north the next season. The departure varies according to the amount 

 of dew on the ground ; when there is no dew on the ground their departure will date 

 as early as 7 to 8 a. m. . They always fly with the wind, and in case the wind is ad- 

 verse they patiently wait for a favorable breeze. 



This section was visted in 1858, 1874, and 1876. During the fall of 1876 my garden, 

 50 by 150, was literally filled with eggs. At that time I had seven common chickens, 

 and I noticed that they were scratching up the ground. For two or three mornings 

 after that I raked up one square rod with a garden rake, and by this time the fowls 

 understood the business well enough to need no further assistance, and in this manner 

 went over the entire plat. This spring I have kept close watch, but not to exceed a 

 dozen young insects have hatched. 



Pease and sweet-potatoes are the least relished by both old and young. Native 

 grasses have not been injured to a degree to be visible. — [E. Whitcomb, June 1, 1877. 



Pleasajsjt Hill, Saline County.— In 1874 they came in from the northwest about 

 August 10. The season was exceedingly hot and dry, the thermometer reaching 114 

 in the shade. The locusts were very ravenous, eating everything before them, but 

 deposited eggs sparingly. Last fall they ate but little, but deposited eggs in enor- 

 mous quantities, in many places as many as three hundred to the square inch. 



All domestic fowls eat them in vast quantities ; our little chickens just hatched live 

 on the young ones without other food. All wild birds prey upon them, especially the 

 prairie-chickens and quails. It is believed that a prairie-chicken eats one pint per 

 day ; quails about half that quantity. The birds which have done the best service is 

 a black bird with yellowish- white head and wings ; never noticed them here until 

 this season. They came in great quantities, probably a thousand in a flock. They 

 marched over the field like a band of soldiers, cleaning the ground clean where it was 

 actually black with the 'hoppers. On a pasture-field of about eighteen acres they 

 probably destroyed about five bushels a day. 



The young insects are quiet during the night, crawling under old rubbish and into 

 the ground. The full-fledged collect on shrubs and trees in quantities sufficient some- 

 times to bend the trees. When on the wing, I think they fly night and day. In June 

 and July, 1875, there was an uninterrupted flight about fifty days, moving continually 

 in a northerly and westerly direction. — [E. S. Abbott, May 21, 1877. 



North Platte, Lincoln Coimty. — The Cal(yptenus spretus are passing this pi ace since 

 the 27th instant, going north 30° west, in immense numbers. They are very high, 

 1,000 to 3,000 feet ; only a few have stopped here. 



In 1873 saw a swarm, July 6, in latitude 42°, longitude 100° 15' west, passing south- 

 east, but saw none in the settled part of the State. 



