THE INSECT WORLD. 



99 



When they are sufficiently numerous to be troublesome, the 

 insects may be attracted to the sweetened and poisoned bran 

 mixture heretofore mentioned, and this will usually check injury. 



The field-crickets, species of Gryllus, well known to all, are 

 found nearly ever}^where, even in houses. They are usually dark- 

 brown or blackish in color, with large, broad heads, and rather 

 short though power- 



ful hind legs. They 

 are very active, and 

 jump about so errat- 

 ically that it is not 



Fig. 71. 



Fig. 72. 



field-cricket, Gryllus 

 species. 



1\\Q\.x&&-zx\c\iQ\. ,CEcanthus niveuii , female from 

 the side, male from above. — a, blackberry cane 

 showing egg punctures ; b, the same, split, to 

 show the arrangement of the eggs ; c, egg, very 

 much enlarged ; d, its tip, yet more enlarged. 



always an easy task to capture the specimens. There is less 

 trouble in the fall, when the female is ovipositing in warm, sandy 

 spots, and the male is watching her, keeping up a constant sing- 

 ing during the operation. As a rule the species winter in the egg 

 state, but occasionally nymphs and adults survive, and a solitary 

 and melancholy chirp in spring now and then tells of such a speci- 

 men. Most of the species are plant-feeders, yet rarely attack 



