Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 August 1889 — Colorado Grasshoppers. [ARTICLE]

Colorado Grasshoppers.

A correspondent of the Sun, under date of Denver, Col.. May 25,' writes: Already one is beginning' to hear complaints obout tho influx of destructive grasshoppers into Colorado. * One of the best informed men on this sub jest In DenVcrrTs MjK VVllllam N. Bygrar Who. on dicuig disked to give some Information conrerning those unwelcome visrtors. said: “I first made the acquaintance of the destructive grasshopper in 1352, about the Ist of August, upon the plains of northern Utah and southorn Idaho, at which time they were flying oastnortheast in swarms that obscured the sun. Their breeding places may be in any part of this arid portion (tho western half) of the United States. The great swarms that attain maturity and emigrate are hatched, doubtless, within altitudes ranging from 4.0J0 to 7,000 feet above sea level. At 7,000 to 8,000 feet they may so far mature as to make short flights and remove to new localities not far distant. Above 8,000 feet they seldom, if ever, become able to fly, though I have seen myriads of them hatched at 10,000,11,000 and even up to 12,05) feet above the sea. Probably they did not attain more than onethird of their growth before being destroyed by frosts aud snows. “The most favorable hatching grounds are the plains like this east of the mountains,upon which are situated Denver, Pueblo, Choyenne. etc., from 4;000 to 6,000 feet above the sea. Where they settle down to propagate tlietr species they must have substance; hence there must bo fertility And vegetation. As to the latter they are not very particular, but arc sure to take the best there is. The deposit of eggs begins in August and continues until stopped by severe frosty weather, say in October. They ohoose, first, plowed ground; second, comparatively loose sandy or gravelly land, partially but not thickly covered with grass or other vegetation; third, the most favorable spots where they may happen to be, and from which they are not able to get away. The female, with her nether extremity, perforates a' hole In the ground ahput as deep as the length of her body, and deposits a cluster of eggs that resemble in size and form the eggs of the caterpillar moth attached to tho twig or an apple or cherry tree, except that ft the place of the