21 
Report to his Excellency Governor IV. /.'. Merriam in regard to (he Migratory Locust* in- 
f eating portions of Minnesota. 
On August 14, 1890, a large swarm of locusts or grasshoppers entered the State oi 
Minnesota. They were observed in a number of places, but chiefly at Crookston, 
Hallock, and otber points in the Red River Valley. I his swarm came from the north- 
west and flew in a southeasterly direction. Through the kindness of the G 
Northern Railroad I was enabled last summer to make close inquiry in the regions 
where this swarm had been observed, and I could follow one that had passed Crooks- 
ton in an easterly direction to Fosston into the White Earth Indian Reservation, 
where immense numbers of the locusts composing it had perished in the upper Rice 
Lake. Close inspection also revealed the fact that eggs had been deposited in some 
places. At the time in which the above investigation was made it was impossible to 
obtain many specimens of the insects composing this swarm, but the mutilated ma- 
terial obtained indicated, besides the common native species, at least two species of 
locusts not usually found with us, one of which was the Lesser Migratory Locust 
(Melanoplus atlanis Riley) and the second a locust evidently belonging to a different 
genus, but not identified at the time. 
As our native locusts do not form swarms like the one invading Minnesota on Au- 
gust 14, 1890, it was quite certain that we had to deal with species more formidable 
and dangerous, and I deemed it my duty to call attention to this invasion, stating 
that it was in the line of wise legislation to take time by the forelock and provide 
the necessary means for suppressing another outbreak. This was done in the last 
Biennial Report of the Agricultural Experiment Station, page 17. For some reason, 
however, no action was taken. 
When a swarm of locusts passes a region the females, heavy with maturing eggs, 
are very apt to lag behind and drop to the ground whenever the soil is of such a 
character as to iuvite them to deposit their eggs. Suitable for such a purpose is all 
soil that is well drained and which contains very few roots of plants. 
Early in June of the present year a number of letters were received from different 
parts of the State about exceptionally large numbers of locusts. This was to be ex- 
pected, even without the addition of the migratory species, as the last few seasons 
had been greatly in favor of all kinds of locusts and other insects that thrive hest in 
dry and hot summers following a mild winter. The first alarm, in the form of arti- 
cles in some of our daily papers, came from Pelican Rapids, in Otter Tail County. 
My investigation of this case showed that a small area near that place had been in- 
fested, but chiefly by various native species and the Lesser Migratory Locust. Pay- 
ing proper attention to this local trouble removed cause for alarm. 
The attention of your Excellency was next drawn to the more alarming reports 
coming from the Red River Valley, and you ordered me to proceed at once to the in- 
fested region, and for the last forty days I have been engaged in traveling through 
the different counties invaded and in instructing farmers in the proper means to com- 
bat their enemy. 
In Minnesota five counties are infested with migratory specie* of locusts. Three 
distinct species, besides the native, are now causing well-founded alarm. The Lesser 
Migratory Locust (Melanoplus atlanis, Riley) is the most abundant species. The 
true Rocky Mountain Locust (Melanophts spretus, Thomas) is also very common, and 
the Pellucid Locust (Camnula pellucida, Scudd.) occurs also in alarming numbers in 
the more northern part of the invaded region. The Two-striped Locust \ Melanoplus 
bicittatus, Scudd.), though a native species, is exceedingly numerous in many places 
and causes considerable damage. 
The Lesser Migratory Locust occurs in very large numbers in parts of the counties 
of Polk. Marshall, Kittso'n. Ottertail. and Hubbard, and extends eastward as far 
as the cities of Duluth and Tower, St. Louis County, and is doubtless found in 
more isolated swarms in the whole northern part of the State. The Pellucid Locust 
