OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CLASS — INSECTA 171 



Fig. 109. — American locust. 



states, while the great American locust is conspicuous in the 



southern states (Fig. 109). Locusts produce their sounds in 



two different ways. Some species rub the hind legs, while 



at rest, across a ridged 



vein on the outer 



surface of the first 



pair of wings. Other 



species, while in 



flight, rub or strike 



together the upper 



surface of the front 



edge of the hind wings and the under surface of the fore 



wings. This produces a loud, sharp, clacking sound. Some 



species lay their eggs in the fall and some in the spring. 



The eggs are laid sometimes in the ground and sometimes 



in logs, stumps, rails, etc. 



The crickets possess long, slender antennae which are un- 

 like the shorter and stouter ones of the common locust. 

 The large veins at the bases of the wing 

 covers of the males are ridged some- 

 what like a file (Fig. 110). When 

 "chirping," or "shrilling," the cricket 

 elevates the wing covers at an angle 

 of about forty-five degrees and rubs one 

 against the other where the ridged veins 

 are, thus throwing them into vibration and producing the 

 noise. Only the male sings. 



The katydids usually possess large green wing covers 

 which resemble closely the leaves of trees in which these 

 insects live. Katydids, Uke the crickets, possess long, 

 delicate antennae, and the males make their peculiar noise 

 in the same manner as the crickets (Fig. 111). 



Fig. 110. — Large vein 

 at the base of a crick- 

 et's wing. Enlarged 

 to show the filelike 

 ridges. 



