GRASSHOPPER REPORT FOR 1896. 



By Lawrence Bruner, Temporary Field Agent. 



In accordance with ray commission and instructions dated July 30, I 

 have investigated the condition of the locust or grasshopper plague in 

 Nebraska and adjoiuiug States, and report as follows: 



Early in June reports of grasshopper injury began to come to the 

 University of Nebraska through correspondents living in various sec- 

 tions of the State along its south central portion. These reports were 

 received by both the United States weather observer, who is located 

 here, and by the writer. At first the reports were few and scattered, 

 but about the time small grain began heading they became much more 

 frequent, so numerous, in fact, that the writer felt called upon to issue 

 a press bulletin upon the subject. 



At this time — i. e., quite early in the season — it was thought by the 

 authorities at the University of Nebraska that these locusts were 

 simply several of our native species that had become abnormally 

 abundant in these localities on account of the protracted drought. A 

 little later, when specimens of the insects in question were received in 

 response to requests sent out by the writer, it was found that a large 

 percentage of them were the much-dreaded Rocky Mountain or migra- 

 tory locust, Melanoplus spretus. This, of course, at once aroused the 

 farmers of the infested region, who had already suffered the loss of two 

 or three consecutive crops on account of tbe drought. 



A little later other reports were received from correspondents located 

 in the extreme western part of the State, north of the Platte River. 

 These latter stated that the 'hoppers had hatched in "countless mil- 

 lions," and that they were sweeping everything clean as they went. 

 The specimens accompanying some of these reports showed them to be 

 the long- winged plains locust (Dissosteira longipennis) that a few years 

 ago was so abnormally abundant in eastern Colorado between the head- 

 waters of the Republican and Arkansas rivers. 



Additional reports of locust abundance together with some slight 

 injuries were also received from adjoining portions of Kansas, and dur- 

 ing the latter part of June a few specimens of the Rocky Mountain 

 locust began to be observed in the air during fair days when the wind 

 was southerly. They also began leaving the southern counties of 

 Nebraska during the last week of that month, and from that time on 



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