20 
Dull green or dull brown in color, with a distinct yellowish or pale stripe along 
each side extending from the upper angle of the eye, along the lateral angle of the 
body to the extremity of the tegmina. Mouth pale, face varies from pale yellowish 
to dark olive brown ; as also do the tegmina ; the latter sometimes have a few quite- 
small dusky spots on the disk, but generally they are unspotted. Wings transparent, 
tinged with greenish or greenish yellow; nerves greenish brown or blackish. Hind 
femora generally with a dark stripe along the upper edge of the disk; yellow below; 
upper margin with two pale spots ; posterior tibiae variable, ranging from yellow to 
dark leaden brown. 
Length of body — male 1 inch to 1.4 inches; female, about 1.7 inches, but frequently 
larger or smaller. 
This locust occurs in nearly every locality over the entire country 
from the Saskatchewan River in the north to the Gulf of Mexico at 
the south, and from ocean to ocean. It is found in the low valleys 
near the seashore and upon the mountain slopes of the Rocky range 
and the interior plateaus to an elevation of nearly 10,000 feet above 
tide water. In fact, this particular species appears to be able to with- 
stand more climatic variations than any other of our North American 
species, without showing- marked variations in color and form. In size 
it varies more than do some of the allies. No wonder, then, that it 
occasionally becomes sufficiently numerous over limited areas to do 
considerable injury to crops. 
The Two-striped Locust, although it enjoys so wide a range, is usually 
limited over this range to certain favorite haunts. Like the femur- 
rubrum and differentials, bivittatus m a lover of rank and succulent veg- 
etation such as is found upon bottom lands, along the edges of cultivated 
fields, at the margins of woodlands, and on the shaded mountain slopes. 
When nature has specially favored the species, as it sometimes does, in 
the way of favorable climatic conditions, the absence of enemies, etc., 
and it develops in large numbers, then these haunts are forsaken to a 
greater or less extent and it spreads over cultivated fields, eating the 
choicest of everything. Unlike some of the other locusts of the genus 
Melanoplus, bivittatus seldom exhibits the migratory habit in any 
marked degree; hence, is always with us and its enemies. 
The egg-laying habits of bivittatus differ considerably from those of 
the smaller migratory species, insomuch as but one or two clusters or 
pods are deposited by a single female. Nevertheless, just as many 
eggs are laid by each female insect. These eggs are deposited in 
prairie sod or any compact soil in the vicinity of the regular haunts or 
feeding places. Old roads and closely-cropped pastures when located 
handily are favorite resorts for the heavily-laden females when attend- 
ing to this mission of theirs. 
Melanoplus bivittatus was very common in a number of localities over 
the country during the past summer. In fact, it Avas one of* the prin- 
cipal ones that was the cause of grasshopper injuries in the Red River 
Valley of the North, in Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, New York, 
Mississippi, Alabama, Kansas, and Nebraska. Conditions which favor 
the rapid multiplication of other locusts, such as the migratory kinds, 
