31 



ORDER HEMIPTERA. 

 Family Cicadidae. 



Cicada septindecim Linn. The Seventeen Year Locust. This well 

 known insect inflicts serious injury upon forest and fruit trees during the 

 few weeks of its adult life. The injury is greater on young trees, because 

 the wood is softer, and the female is able to oviposit in larger twigs than 

 •on old trees, and also because the future large main branches are now 

 .small twigs; and, while the injuries will eventually heal over, a weak, 

 ■dead-centered branch always results. 



The pupae issue from the ground in immense swarms during May 

 and June, usually about the first of the latter month, and at once trans- 

 form to the adult stage. Soon after the female deposits her eggs in the 

 tender twigs of fruit and forest trees, and among the latter the locust 

 •comes in for its share. The eggs are placed in pairs in punctures made 

 for the purpose. The punctures are arranged in rows, generally along 

 the under or outer side of the twig. 



The larvae hatch in about six weeks and drop to the ground, in which 

 they live, sucking the sap from the roots of the trees and perhaps other 

 vegetation. Nearly seventeen years are passed in the immature stages. 



Little can be done in combatting this insect, except in an indirect 

 manner. If trees are planted in an artificial plantation, care may be taken 

 not to set any less than four or five years previous to a "locust year." 



1885, Lintner, 3d Rept. N. Y. State Ent., pp. 167-178. 



1886, Butler, Bui. 12, Div. Ent. U. S. Dept. Agri., pp. 24-31.. 

 1898, Marlatt, Bui. 14 n. s., Div. Ent. U. S. Dept. Agri., p. 148. 



Family Membracidae. 



Cerasa bubalus Fabr. The Buffalo Tree Hopper. This odd look- 

 ing tree hopper is a very common insect, and has a wide range of food 



■plants. While it probably does not feed upon the black locust, it some- 

 times inflicts serious damage, especially on young trees. The greater 

 part of the injury is done by the adults, as the nymphs feed very largely 

 upon the more succulent annual vegetation, seldom feeding at the expense 



■ of trees except on the more tender sap sprouts. 



The most grievous injury to the trees is that occasioned by the 

 female in her peculiar method of oviposition. The eggs are laid m slits 

 made in the bark of small twigs, and even in the stems of the smaller 

 trees These slits are usually on the upper side of the twigs, and the 

 south side seems to be preferred to the north. The openings are about 



^hree-sixteenths of ap inch long, curved or crescent shaped, with the con- 



•cave sides in, and about an eighth of an inch apart. 



