GRASSHOPPERS

Hokitika Guardian, 10 December 1934, Page 8

GRASSHOPPERS

(MENACE IN QUEENSLAND

TREMENDOUS SWARMS

BRISBANE, November 30. After threatening the outskirts oi Inglewood, Queensland, for three da.ys, grasshoppers descended in countless millions from the skies upon die town early, one morning recently aud took complete possession of gardens, roads and every available open *pa-e win re the nature of the soil penritn.ri > •>'- females to lay their Cggs. Like a tremendous swarm of bees, flying, crawl•jp; or motionless on the ground, limy transformed the clear vnornuig, sunlight into a dull grey shadow A graphic description of the 'is.fit 4 on was given by. an Inglewood tesi Rent. The main street of the town, he said, Was .absolutely black win the insects, which rose in whirling clouds When motor traffic approached. To walk into his garden entailed having the insects crawling lover hkV hands, and clothes, frequently striking him in the face. They pattered on roofs and window panes Ike rain falling. Strangely enough, the grasshoppers do not appear to be making any decided onslaught on vegetation, which has not been unduly affected. It was learned, however, that a 10-acre paddock of Sudan grass on the Mclntyre Brook, about four miles, from Inglewood, was quickly eaten bare by a swarm of the insects. Generally speaking, the damage in the Inglewood district up to November 13 had not been great, principally owing to the fact that the advancing wave had been content Attack the green and succulent crops and grasses. Paddocks of wheat had not been touched.

THE (CHIEF DANGER

It'is considered that the main dangci Lies in the approach of succeeding waves of the insects, which would spread out on to the ordinary grasses, and cause ■ extensive damage to the pastoral in- ' dustry, particularly if a dry period foli lowed. Breeding is proceeding apace and patches of recently-hatched grasshoppers are appearing in practically every part of the surrounding districts, some of them still in the crawling stage and others almost ready to take to the wing. One pastoralist said that unless control measures are immediately taken, the position may become serious. I Swarms, pf. grasshoppers invaded Mope#, qnd bhfe- pastures (about the town were eaten. Gardens, on the outskirts of the town suffered slight damage, but most property owners kept the insects on'the move'by waving bags and brooms. At the bowling green the greenkeepef and his daughter had a busy time' keeping the insects moving. They invaded houses, the doors and windows of ivhich'were not covered with gauze. Following rain the swarms were fewer.

GREEN CROPS THREATENED

The - grasshoppers had made their appearance in the Lyburn - district, and were threatening the green crops. A large swarm settled on a 10-acre pad. dock of oat's, owned by Mr li. Charles, about half a mile on the western side of the town. When the owner saw that there w,as little hope of saving any of the crop, he turned cows, into the paddock, but as this had little effect on the insects, he. decided, to roll the area. Many of the grasshoppers were laying eggs.in the soft soil of the paddock.

All councils in the area affected by the. grasshopper, invasion undertook to co-operate with officials. of the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Stock, in the distribution of bait and spray ingredients, to stem the advance, of young grasshoppers when they emerge I - from the ground. It was hoped that united action -would result in the extermination of the main body of the pests in the State.