67 



To the Entomologist : 



Dear Sik : My farm this season is infested with grasshoppers, the hay, oat, and 

 rye, and part of vegetable crop, being nearly a complete failure. I find on many of 

 the grasshoppers a small parasite or egg of a deep orange-red color, cliuging to dif- 

 ferent parts of the locust's body, being mostly on and under the wings. What I 

 would like to know is. whether this parasite is likely to check the increase of the 

 locusts another season, as it don't pay for me to plant crops to be devoured by these 

 ravenous locusts. I have caught some sixty bushels from one piece of oats, contain- 

 ing 34- acres, but am satisfied I can never exterminate them that way. They were 

 quite bad last season, but not to be compared to this. 



Eespectfullv, 



E. A. Fellows. 

 Franklin, N. H., July 3, 1889. 



Mr. Fellows's communication is interesting not only because it records 

 the abundance of the Locust Mite {Trombidium), previously found here 

 in but limited numbers, but as still further emphasizing the peculiar 

 local habit of Atlanis in this region, noted in the report already cited. 



Mr. Fellows's farm, which was visited July 11, is situated in an " in- 

 tervale" or small valley of about 300 acres, shut in by high hills, and 

 thus separated from similar iutervales above and below. 



In these small intervales the locusts find a permanent home, only occa- 

 sionally assuming the migratory tendency; and under favorable circum 

 stances, especially if left unchecked, they after a year or two become 

 suddenly numerous enough to do great injury, while at the same time 

 in the similar valleys above and below their numbers may be signifi- 

 cant only of future increase. 



This state of things is well illustrated on the Fellows farm the present 

 year. These locusts, always present in small numbers, had last year 

 become quite abundant, and as no measures were taken against them, 

 they this spriug appeared in destructive hordes. The grasses suffered 

 most. Timothy, red-top, chess" and clover were reduced to mere innu- 

 tritive stalks; both blades and the heads of the oats were eaten; all 

 garden vegetables were attacked. Squashes, melons, and corn were 

 only eaten when very young. The tassel of the latter, however, is also 

 eaten by the locusts. 



At the time of examination the locusts were generally winged, and 

 while still quite thick in the oats had scattered somewhat over adjoin- 

 ing meadow-land, and were especially abundant near the river, which 

 had perhaps, by forming a barrier to their half- migratory movements 

 going on at this time, caused them to collect there. A small percentage 

 (5 to 10) were in coitu; but none were found ovipositing, although in 

 the dissection of a large number of females one or two were found with 

 empty ovaries, indicating that oviposition had already begun. 



Examination of the ground, and, as observed by Mr. Fellows, the first 

 appearance of the young locusts in the spriug agree in indicating that 

 the eggs are deposited more particularly in certain sandy knolls in the 

 interval, and perhaps to a certain extent on the lower portion of the 

 bordering hill-sides. 



If this be the case, the destruction of the eggs by harrowing or plow- 



