26 



observation it is evident that the eggs (or maggots) of the parasite 

 were placed upon the host (this grasshopper) previous to the third 

 molt, and that the larval life of the parasite is at least as long as from 

 May 26 to August 28, or a period of ninety-live days. It is astonish- 

 ing that all of the natural functions of grasshoppers went on during 

 this remarkable period of parasitic attack. 



Just to what extent the parasitic flies lessened the number of 



grasshoppers it is difficult to say 

 owing to the prevalence of fungous 

 diseases. Numbers of dying speci- 

 mens were examined, and the vis- 

 cera of those specimens infested with 

 the fungus was much more disinte- 

 grated than those attacked by mag- 

 gots, yet. as many of the grasshop- 

 pers were common hosts of disease 

 and maggots, it was impossible to ar- 

 rive at any very definite conclusion. 

 Little information could be gotten 

 from examination of the dead grass- 

 hoppers in the field as numerous ants 

 soon deprived the hoppers of viscera or parts of viscera left by the 

 maggots. 



From the puparia of Hdicobia hdicis two secondary parasites were 

 reared. One of these. Aphcerreta pMipes Say. was bred August 3. 

 the other. PeriZampus cyaneus Brulle. 



The young of the locust mite was found to do effective work as 

 parasites upon the wing pads and wings of grasshoppers. Upon the 



Fig. 12. — Lucilia csesar — enlarged (from 

 Howard i . 



Fig. 13—i$chMocerca americana: Adult (from Howard . 



majority of those collected in the fifth and last stages young mites 

 were common guests. 



Blackbirds and turkeys were observed to feed upon grasshoppers 

 in all stage-, and upon some plantation.- turkeys were purchased and 

 liberated in infested fields. The exact information is not at hand as 

 to the real merit of turkeys, but a common belief prevails that they 

 may be made to serve a very practical purpose in grasshopper out 

 breaks. 



