Locusts

Locusts, a group of Orthoptera (q.v.) forming the family Locustidce, though many insects belonging to other groups are often included under this term: thus many of the so-called locusts of Australia and America really belong to the Cicadas. The locusts live on vegetation, and, as they occur in enormous hordes, they do serious damage in countries where they occur. They are also large in size, and include some of the bulkiest of known insects. Some of the largest live in America ; but, as they do not occur in such numbers, do not do nearly as much damage as the smaller brown locusts of Asia, Africa, and the south of Europe, which measure only about five inches in expanse of wing. When an army of locusts is on the march they go straight forward, devouring everything .along the line, and often completely devastate whole districts. They can be kept ii check owing to the fact that they always travel ii a straight line, and cannot fly well; a compara tively low obstacle thus checks their progress. Ii Cyprus they used to do enormous damage to th crops, but since the British occupation have beei almost exterminated by a system of pits am fences. A long zigzag wire fence is placed acros their line of march, pits are dug at each of thi inner angles, the locusts cannot jump the fence but work along the faces of the angles and fal into the pits. True locusts do not occur in Eng land except very rarely, when they have escapee from ships, etc. In the 18th century, however a large number reached England, while Europi was overrun by vast hordes.