XV. — LOCUSTS, BUTTERFLIES, BEES, WASPS 



Aethropoda {continued) 

 Class. — Insecta (insects) 



The number of species of insects is very great and prob- 

 ably exceeds that of any other class in the animal kingdom. 

 They are found in every country in the world. Many 

 species are very injurious to agricultural and horticultural 

 interests, while many are very beneficial to the farmer and 

 the fruit grower. They are exceedingly interesting to study 

 because of their various and peculiar habits. They are 

 also very convenient to study, because they are easily ob- 

 tained and can be kept in one's room, where every phase of 

 their life history and peculiar habits may be observed. 



Example of the Class — the Carolina Locust 



Distribution and habits. — Insects that are generally 

 known as grasshoppers are really locusts and should be 

 called such. Locusts are widely distributed oyer the earth 

 and are well-known insects. The Carohna locust is a large 

 insect measuring from one and one half to two inches in 

 length and is common all over the United States and Can- 

 ada. The male has the interesting habit of poising in the 

 air a few feet from the ground and making a loud, clacking 

 noise, especially during the warmer hours of hot summer 

 days. These locusts (Fig. 93) prefer bare places in fields, 



