14 MISC. PUBLICATION 318, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



leaves of trees. It lias four rather large wings folded over its back. 

 This insect, like the grasshopper, can crawl, jump, or fly. The katy- 

 did is seldom of economic importance. 



Tree crickets. — In the order Orthoptera are a number of small, 



pale-green insects, about three-fourths of an inch long, known as tree 



crickets (Oecanthus spp). They have chewing 



mouth parts and feed on a wide range of materials, 



including the leaves, blossoms, and sometimes the 



ripening fruit of plants, or on weakened members 



of their own kind. Like most other Orthoptera, 



tree crickets have four wings. The eggs of tree 



HL \ crickets are deposited in the twigs or canes of 



% plants, where they remain over winter, and the egg 



punctures made in the stems cause this insect to be 



considered a pest of raspberry and similar small 



fruits. Stomach poisons will kill the nymphs, and 



burning the canes containing the eggs will destroy 



\ them. 



Mantids. — Xot all Orthoptera are injurious. 



The mantids are beneficial because they feed on 



„ : m ■"■.;■■ other insects, many of which are pests. Mantids 



Figure 28. — Tree cricket. -, ■-, '-,• ,. J . -. -. <, fi A ,, , 



can be easily distinguished from other Orthoptera 



by the much elongated thorax or waist part of the ) 



body, and by the large front legs, which are fitted \ 

 for grasping their prey. The four wings usually 

 are folded back over the hind part of the body. 

 The total length of the body of the species here 

 illustrated is approximately 2V 2 inches. These in- 

 sects have incomplete life changes. The eggs are 

 laid in clusters, usually covered with dried froth, 

 on branches and twigs of trees or shrubs and re- 

 main there through the winter. The next spring 

 the eggs hatch, and the young mantids start their 

 beneficial work of destroying other insects. Since 

 the mantids are friends of man, we need not worry 

 about control measures. The one shown here is ' 

 Stagmomantis Carolina. FlGURE 29 - Mantld - 



Roaches. — The cockroaches make up 

 another family of the Orthoptera. Two 

 kinds are rather common over the United 

 States, the small German roach and the 

 larger American roach. These insects 

 prefer to remain in dark places, although 

 at times they do venture into the light. 

 Their very flat bodies permit them to get 

 into extremely narrow cracks. These in- 

 sects have four wings, but they are seldom 

 used. They feed primarily on human 

 foods and waste food products. Cock- 

 roaches have incomplete life changes. 

 After the eggs hatch, the nymphs shed 

 their skins several times and finally reach 



L i_„-^^_ J the adult stage. Some roaches live in the 



figure 30.— Roacii. woods in the loose bark of trees or logs, 



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