— 136 ^ 
Benton, in Chouteau County. Egg development on the v;hole in the 
northern portion of the State hafe advanced well into the segmentation 
stage. Cool weather has retarded the general hatch and with the 
alternate cool and moderately warm days, spasmodic hatching may occur 
over a 30-day period. No hatch is reported in Phillips, Blaine, 
Wihaux, Eallon, Carter, Eoosevelt, Ifewson, Richland, or McCone Counties, 
Hatching "began in Eergus County on May l4 and was "becoming general 
"by May 18, (May 19-25) S On May 23 a general hatch of M. mexicanus 
was taking place in Hill County, the hatch ranging from 5^ to 90-percent 
complete, depending on soil conditions. In one area north of Gildford 
where a 90-percent hatch occurred, marginal damage amounting to 1 rod 
had odcurred in some wheatfields. Where hoppers had hatched in the 
fields, 50 percent plant damage had occurred in wheat planted in the 
spring plowing. Grasshopper concentrations of 1,000 per square yard 
along marginal lands, I50 per square yard in stubble, 'and 75 square 
yard in the fields were present, A 90-percent hatch of M. mexicanus 
had occ\irred in Fergus Covin ty by the close of the week and nyii5)hs were 
beginning to spread from field margins. Fifty-percent damage had 
occurred 1 to 4 rods into spring wheat and scattered "’fields. Concentra- 
tions up to 10,000 per square yard we"re present along margins of fields 
but this condition Was not uniform. Populations of from 25 to 25O per 
square yard were present in scattered fields of spring wheat but no 
infestations were present in winter wheat, A 50*^ercent hatch was 
■ reported from Portage to Port Benton and eastward in Chouteau County, 
with populations of 75 P©r square yard confined mostly to field margins. 
The hatch from Port Benton north to Chester ranges from' 80- to lOO- 
percent con5)lete, with populations of 50 to 5OO per square yard in field 
margins and with marginal damage etident in the southeastern part of 
Liberty County, Hoppers in this area have moved 6 rods into winter 
wheat, 
Wyoming, (May 12-18): Observations in southeastern Wyoming indicate that 
infestations in Laramie County have been light and scattered, with a 
hatch of about 5 percent and that in Goshen County infestations are 
confined largely to alfalfa fields, where populations average about 45 
per square yard. The general hatch of M, mexicanus was under way this 
week, after being delayed by inclement weather, Mexicanus represented 
about 90 percent of the grasshoppers present. Infestations in the 
Black Hills area of Wyoming are scattered and confined to alfalfa fields 
and margins. In Crook County very little hatch has occurred and 
development has been retarded by weather conditions, (May 19-25) S 
Intermittent warm’and cool weather this week prevented a rapid hatch. 
Heaviest infestations observed to 'date are in Sheridan County, with the 
hatch of M, bivittatus estimated to be about 50 percent complete. 
Populations in Goshen, Platte, Laramie, Weston, Oanpbell, and Crook 
Counties hre light. Infestations in Goshen and Laramie Counties are still 
confined principally to alfalfa fields, with M* mexicanus the dominant 
species present. The hatch is probably from 75 "to 85 percent con5)lete 
in these 2 counties and 50 percent complete in "Crook fmd Weston Counties, 
No crop damage has been reported to date. 
