XV. — LOCUSTS, BUTTERFLIES, BEES, WASPS 



Arthropoda {continued) 

 Class. — Insecta (insects) 



The number of specie,s of insects is very great and prob- 

 ably exceetls 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 

 intei-ests, while manj' are very beneficial to the farmer and 

 the fruit grower. They are exceedingh' interesting to study 

 because of their various and peculiar habits. They are 

 also ver)^ convenient to stud}', because they are easily ob- 

 tained an(l can be kept in one's room, where every phase of 

 their life history and peculiar habits may be observed. 



Example op the Class — the Carolina Locust 



Distribution and habits, — Insects that are generally 

 known as grasshoppers are realh' locusts and should be 

 called such. Locusts are widely distributed over the earth 

 and are ^^'ell-known insects. The Carolina 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, especialty during the warmer hours of hot summer 

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



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