Locust History in Australia

The Balance of Nature

The South Australian Register, Friday 23 December 1859, page 3.
A philosophical letter to the editor regarding locusts and how they were 'some years ago' controlled by their natural enemies - birds - but farmers killed the birds. The letter is signed 'The Plovers'.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1200495

"LOCUSTS. LOCUSTS.

To the Editor of the ADVERTISER.

Sir-Pray do permit us to direct the public mind to patent facts by your instrumentality. Some years ago the vine, though budding, bore no leaves, and nothing green refreshed the eye of man. But clouds of locusts, like the driven snow, fell everywhere. Man cried for aid, and we were sent to help; and we came. The locusts disappeared. We would have remained, but man, ungrateful, strove to slay us all.
The locust plague is reappearing. Shall we be safe if we return? or must we stay away and leave the cry unregarded?
THE PLOVERS. The Untrodden Wilds of the Vast Unknown, December 21,1859."

The Sydney Morning Herald, Saturday 29 November 1890, page 5. A letter to the editor from 'Trigger' regarding larkspur and castor oil tree as controls for locusts and the destruction of locusts natural enemies, the birds, by poison baits set for rabbits.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13787868

" ...And now may I put in a word for our friends the birds of nearly every species, for almost all birds feed on the locusts in some periods of their growth; but there are none to equal the emu, whose consumption equals some four to six bucketsful of grasshoppers per day. Then comes the bustard or wild turkey, native companion, crow, and so on down to the mischievous, impudent little sparrow, all of which are destroyed without sufficient motive in so doing. The Rabbit Act is clearly producing a greater pest than the rabbit itself, by the foolish destruction of birds caused by the poisoned water and oats which are allowed to be used, and are used all over the western parts of Riverina, so upsetting the "balance of nature," consequently the mean things of the earth will overpower the more noble. Man may, by proper and united energy, overcome the latter, but not so the infinite numbers of noxious insects which are only held in check by the birds. The woolly-headed man who cries out for the destruction of the crows because of its appetite for lambs' eyes and the eyes of the poor starving sheep (which he greedily multiplies without making provision for in bad seasons, does so in his ignorance of Nature, and the pity is that such ignorant men should have so much say in legislative matters. Truly, Mr. Editor, ignorance, corruption, and wholesale perjury are the bane of our land. Rich men are too apt to set the laws of God, and God in Nature, at defiance, and so the public conscience is destroyed, and the selfish, unscrupulous man echoes the old adage "After me the deluge," and one plague will succeed another until man will cry out in his helplessness, lamenting that these things are allowed to come upon him. I am, &c. TRIGGER. Nov. 26."

The Argus, Friday 1 June 1917, page 5. 'Nature Notes and Queries' by Donald MacDonald, including the section 'Ibis and Locusts' http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1622090

IBIS AND LOCUSTS
"During the week", says "Mervew" (St. Kilda), "I saw a moving picture of the ibis rookeries near Kerang. In discussing them with a friend, I mentioned that thrown on the screen with the pictures was a statement that the ibis were great destroyers of grasshoppers and other insects, and that an average meal for an ibis was 8,000 grasshoppers. My friend considered the statement absurd, and we would like some information as to how it originated."

There have been several estimates made by naturalists as to the number of locusts or grasshoppers that an ibis would eat in a day. I remember that Mr. Dudley le Souef and Dr. Charles Ryan, in the Riverina one season, estimated that a particular flock in the locality contained 240,000 birds. They shot several birds for an examination of the stomachs, and on actual counting found that the stomach of each bird contained, on the average, 2,000 young grasshoppers."

The Courier-Mail, Thursday 4 October 1934, page 14. 'Enter the Ibis! Flocks descend on pest'
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article35638304

ENTER THE IBIS!

Flocks Descend on Pest

Flocks of ibises are descending on the grasshoppers invading the area between Goondiwindi and Millmerran, according to advices received by the Minister for Agriculture (Mr. Bulcock) yesterday. He said this was Nature's corrective for the invasion by the pests, and reports indicated that the birds were very numerous and were, doing their work well.

The Argus, Saturday 13 October 1934, page 8. 'Catching Grasshoppers by the Ton: A Voracious Insect That Still Outwits Man' by Cecil Le Souef. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10981021

"...The migrating locust.

It would seem that nature intends that these plagues should appear, as there is no apparent controlling element, nor does there appear to have been one during the last 3,000 or 4,000 years. The locust has many natural enemies. Some attack the eggs and many others devour the insect in its various stages of growth. In Australia the cockatoos do yeoman service in destroying the eggs, and the ibis, among other birds, does a great deal of good in keeping the insect in check after it has hatched.

An idea of the enormous quantities consumed by these birds can be gathered from the investigations carried out by the late Mr. Dudley Le Souef. Counting the crop contents of a number of birds, he found that the average number of grasshoppers in each crop was 2,410 half grown insects. He estimated that in the rookery where the birds were nesting in Riverina 482,000,000 grasshoppers were eaten by these birds each day. Taking the average weight of the grasshoppers in the birds' crops, he calculated that about 25 tons were eaten by the birds each day-more than 9,000 tons a year! Although their diet varies with the seasons, the amount of good they do in ridding the land of the pests is amazing.

Australian Bird Enemies

There are other bird enemies, including kites, kookaburras, and many ground birds. In addition, snakes and lizards relish them as a diet, The stomach of a copper-head snake I opened recently contained one small lizard and a number of grasshoppers, and I have frequently noticed this insect-eating habit. Actually, many of the small species of snakes live entirely on insects, and no doubt grasshoppers form a large portion of their food. Many grasshoppers fall into streams, and Mr. Keith McKeown, of the Sydney Museum, during recent investigations, found that in one large trout there were no fewer than 267 grasshoppers.
As for their food value, the grasshopper is not used at all in Australia, except to feed the birds of paradise at Taronga Park. But in some overseas markets and bazaars in Africa and Asia they have been as popular as meat for many centuries. Moses mentions four species which were eaten by the Egyptians, and the ancient Assyrians also used the locust largely as food. Dried locusts were tied to sticks and sold by the stick. Even now there are many places where locusts are on sale every day, and in some countries they are ground up and used as "flour" in breadmaking.

The African locust grows to about four inches, and is very closely allied with the large Australian grasshopper. Although there are not many of the larger ones to be found near Melbourne, there are many in the north of the continent. In Rockhampton some years ago I remember a window being broken by a large grasshopper which flew into it."

The Argus, Friday 9 November 1934, page 3.'The Locust Plague - How did it begin? Danger in laying poison' by Alec H. Chisholm http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10992479
Who was Alec H. Chisholm? See Australian Dictionary of Biography. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A130463b.htm

"THE LOCUST PLAGUE
HOW DID IT BEGIN?

Danger in Laying Poison

By ALEC H. CHISHOLM

It may be true that there is a silver lining to every cloud, but It would be difficult to convince a farmer of this in relation to the cloud of grasshoppers now blighting many parts of Australia. Perhaps, however, all those millions of insects will not have lived in vain if their sudden uprising awakens Australians to a knowledge of how little is known of visitations of this kind. An entomologist said yesterday that Australia was the most backward country in the world in the study of insects and the knowledge of repressive measures. Possibly he meant that this was the most backward of the large agricultural countries. At any rate his remark merits attention.

Where did the grasshopper hordes come from? What has caused them to appear suddenly in such vast and menacing numbers? Men in the cities are asking these questions. They seem to think that answers should be well within the power of scientists. It is doubtful, however, whether anyone can do more than hazard guesses on the subject. Economic entomology is in its infancy in Australia, and little research among grasshoppers has been made. One suggestion is that the insects are apt to increase when large areas of land are cleared but left untilled. Another suggestion is that some unknown factor in a particular season promotes irruptions of grasshoppers. Actually scientists know little more of the subject than does the man in the street. Nor does it seem likely that they will know more until something in the nature of a bureau of biological survey is established. This will need to be an Australian-wide institution, since grasshoppers and kindred pests are not respecters of State boundaries. In the present plague the hordes seem to have arisen at various points in Queensland and New South Wales, and then, in one great mass, to have converged upon Victoria.

Medical scientists engaged in the fight against cancer say that if they could discover the cause of the disease they would be in a far better position to discover a cure. The same holds good in problems of economic entomology such as the one under notice. If Australia had a properly equipped biological bureau it should be possible to anticipate such visitations and perhaps to guard against them. Moreover, if prevention partially failed the knowledge gained doubtless would help toward a cure. At present the fight against the grasshoppers is largely experimental- a matter of striking blows at random. The firing of straw is effective up to a point. This used to be practised in some parts when hosts of grasshoppers in the flightless stage were seen. Another method being adopted in some parts, the use of poison baits, may do more harm than good.

When poison was laid for grasshoppers in another State some years ago the most striking result was the killing of a large number of insectivorous birds. Within a few days either the poisoned baits or the poisoned grasshoppers killed approximately 1,000 magpies and crows, and about 100 plain turkeys. There is, it would seem, a grave danger of this tragedy being repeated in Victoria if poison is broadcast. Indeed it seems probable that the indiscriminate destruction of bustards (plain turkeys) in the west of Queensland and New South Wales has promoted the grasshopper plague, and it seems equally probable that some other plague will arise if many more birds are killed by poison laid for grasshoppers.

It may be added that there are more than 100 different kinds of grasshoppers native to Australia, but only two or three kinds become serious pests. Grasshoppers are identical with the locusts of biblical fame, but the term "locusts" is often erroneously applied to those drummers of the trees, the cicadas."

The Argus, Saturday 10 November 1934, page 19. A letter to the editor from James W. Barrett, 'Value of Birds and Animals' http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10992592

"VALUE OF BIRDS AND ANIMALS
TO THE EDITOR OF THE ARGUS

Sir, - As Mr. Alec. H. Chisholm points out, the causes of plagues of mice and insects are not very clear, and much skilled work is necessary to determine their nature. But we do know that locust plagues can be checked by insectivorous birds. The Sea Gull Monument at Salt Lake City (U.S.) is a standing reminder. What is certain is that by the use of rabbit poison insectivorous birds are killed, and, as has been shown recently, even human life has been endangered. Once the grasshopper plague is in full blast the birds may not be able to stop it, but people should remember that the birds may make all the difference when the plague is beginning. A brolga I possessed would eat half a dozen mice at a meal. A flock of brolgas would consequently make a great impression at the outset of an invasion by mice. It has often occurred to me that the destruction of the brolga may be a factor of importance. The one I possessed ate enormous quantities of mice and insects and had its own technique in searching for them. Man cannot upset the balance of nature without paying the price, and often a heavy price, for his interference. No living creature should be exterminated as the consequences may be disastrous. Where and how they should be preserved is another matter. But the extension and zealous preservation of national parks is certainly one important element in the movement for the preservation of wild life. -
Yours, &c. JAMES W. BARRETT,
President, Town-planning and National Parks Association
103-105 Collins street, Nov. 9."

The Argus, Wednesday 21 November 1934, page 3. 'Grasshoppers, Trees and Birds' a letter from Wm. H. Sloane of Savernake Station NSW. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10995281

"GRASSHOPPERS, TREES, AND BIRDS
TO THE EDITOR OF THE ARGUS

Sir,-As my family has had pastoral experience in Riverina since its original settlement, the following observations may be of some value:-The present plague of grasshoppers appears to be the result of denuding the country of timber to grow grass without encouraging bird life sufficiently to protect that grass from insects.
The use of poisoned water, pollard, and wheat has destroyed most of the native life in Northern Victoria and New South Wales. We are now advised to use poisoned bran. Where will it lead us? The native birds chiefly responsible for the continuous control of grasshoppers are the ibis, crows, wood swallows, and ducks. Crows and ducks have been deliberately destroyed, and each year there has been an apparent increase of insect pests. I have seen crows, walking in line with the ibis, clean up an area of grasshoppers. The loss attributed to these birds has been proved to be negligible, as they merely hasten the death of diseased or starving animals. I have practised crow protection for eight years, and my lambings have improved. In 1932 I marked more than 100 per cent. of lambs from 3,700 ewes, with many crows in the paddocks. Sheep are healthier with these birds among them, as they act as scavengers, helping to keep the blowflies in check and the grass free of caterpillars and grubs. I have observed ducks eat large numbers of grasshoppers that concentrate on the edge of water, when other grass dries off. The value of wood swallows is undoubted, but the clearing of the timber has reduced their food and nesting sites. Gregarious birds seem to be of the most value in controlling insect pests, and it is likely that the introduced starling will be a large factor in the future. To combat grasshoppers I should advise universal bird protection, including crows and ducks, and the planting of belts of forest to hedge off the farms from pastoral areas. Grasshoppers seldom enter timber, and a single row of trees will alter the flight of a swarm. In the United States they are planting a forest 1,000 miles by 100 miles in extent to minimise severity of droughts. We might well act on the same lines. The thoughtless destruction of our trees has appreciably added to our troubles of spasmodic rainfall, erosion by wind and water, and increasing insect pests.-Yours, &c, WM. H. SLOANE.
Savernake Station, N.S.W., Nov. 19."

The Mercury, Friday 7 December 1934, page 8. 'Science and the Balance of Nature: Biological Research and Control of Pests' by Raleigh A. Black. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article29170826

SCIENCE AND THE BALANCE OF NATURE

Biological Research and Control of Pests.

(By Raleigh A. Black)

ORDER, or the regular arrangement of acting and re-acting forces, biological or physical is the foundation of the Law of the Universe. In the very nature and fitness of things there must be a balance of power, otherwise co-ordination of functions is disturbed with ill consequences to mankind. Before the advent of man there was a well preserved balance in Nature from the highest to the lowest organisms, so far as animal and vegetable life is concerned. So long as this natural plan operated all went well, but through a variety of causes, summed up in the categories of sciolism and nescience, this eqillbration has been disturbed in practically every part of the world, with more or less ill effects to the whole of mankind.

Apart from homoplastic or analogical influences, as well as apart from artificial selection and hybridisation, there are, probably, the same species of animal and vegetable organisms in the world to-day as there were thousands of years ago. Mankind and the animal and vegetable organisms functioned on their own particular planes. But today this even and fairly well balanced state of affairs does not obtain; on the contrary, there is a fierce war being waged against some of them now designated pests! "Why," it may be asked, "is it that 10,000 years ago those creatures which were giving mankind practically no concern are to-day causing great worry and financial loss? " The answer is that through the corridors of time man has wittingly or unwittingly intermeddled with a perfectly balanced association of opposite biological factors, and, through his bringing about, a new set of congenial conditions, has permitted one side to dominate the situation.

Restoring the Balance

It may not always be easy to discover in every case just what part of the organisation he has disturbed in his unfortunate meddling with Nature, but he may reassure himself that the remedy is to be found in the restoration of the balance, and not in the breaking and dislocating of other parts. In the physical world there is held to be a "condition in certain bodies, according to which their properties arrange themselves so as to have opposite powers in opposite directions," which is known as the Law of Polarity, and so in the organic world there are opposing organisms whose whole objective in life is to prevent the other from rising to a place of dominance. Therefore, in order to preserve that nicety and fitness in the great plan of Nature the matter resolves itself into a case of life against life. Civilised man has now had plenty of time to realise that the destruction by poison or fire of organisms termed "pests" has not been effective, but in some way or other has made matters worse, and always in favour of the dominating pest. Mr. J. C. Grieve, in his work, "100 Years of Destruction, or the Tragedy of the Forests," which is a poignant story of the forests of "Victoria and man's destruction of them pointedly refers to the devastating action of fire, and says that a heinous sin has been committed against the laws of Nature, for which the penalty is grave and continuing. Man failed to appreciate the natural law, which indissolubly links soil and stream with the forests that shelter either the dry and dusty plain, or the rainy slopes of the mountain highlands. After nearly a century of senseless vandalism the penalties in Victoria are at last becoming starkly evident.

Mr. Grieve remarks that if we pass out on to the cleared foothills which fringe this place of death we may begin to observe how the stricken trees are failing to fulfil tho duties of water flow control for which, by Nature, they were established. In the little valleys we shall see numberless canyons that are being carved through the choicest soil areas by the torrential waters which have been freed from control. Around us, because the axe has deprived the earth beds on the steeper slopes of their rooty anchorage, the bared hillsides are scarred by landslides and the trail of the avalanche. Continuing down stream, he says, along the creek and river flats is found abundant evidence of the greed of these earth-eating waters. Lovely meadow lands of incalculable value in thousands of acres have been replaced by stony wastes where streams are endeavouring to excavate channels wide enough to accommodate the increasing floods.

The Remedy in Nature

It appears that Nature is meant to be a harmonious whole, no one part dominating the other, which results in mutual benefit to each and every part thereof. The unfortunate happening is when an organism, through the mischief of man, becomes a dominating force for his ill or hurt, that it so interweaves itself with things that are valuable or precious to him that he is unable with artificial means to destroy it alone. The application of poisons does not appear to be the effective means for coping with a pest, it seems that poisons used for the destruction of pests do more harm than good, because they, in the aggregate, do not appear to lessen the numbers of the pests as- sailed, but, on the other hand, permit the increase of new ones. A practical illustration is that the use of poisons, now in the sum total costing hundreds of thousands of pounds, for the destruction of rabbits, has not very perceptibly diminished their numbers, but has, unfortunately for man, led to the dominance of a now pest in the blowfly. The relationship may not be at once evident, but the poisons undoubtedly have been responsible for the destruction of native birds, which were the means of keeping in check the blowfly and other insects.

So with the grasshopper plague, which is doing so much damage to man's crops to-day. Several States have used many tons of poisons for the destruction of the pest, and some believe that because a "kill" of up to 90 per cent. has been reported, with an average of between 70 and 75 per cent., and every swarm attacked with the poison has been so reduced with the poison has little more than the normal infestation met with practically every year, all will be well. But these poisoned carcases of grasshoppers will be baits for other creatures that normally feed upon them, with further disturbances in the balance of Nature. To deal with an organism that is gaining the upper hand a new line of action must be pursued, and it must be found in Nature herself. For Instance, poisons failed to eradicate the prickly pear of Queensland, but by encouraging the growth and development of the larvae of Cactoblastis castoram, the "pear" is gradually being brought under control.

Police of the Bush

Native birds are for a much more important purpose than for furnishing feathers as ornament for millinery. They are the police of the bush, and perform a very valuable office in keeping within safe limits insects and weeds that would become a serious menace if allowed to grow and develop without restriction. Among the most beautiful and useful birds in Tasmania is the straw-necked ibis. This bird is more plentiful on the mainland of Australia, and we have it on record from the late Dr. J. A. Leach that it has an insatiable appetite for grasshoppers and other insects. This bird, he said, is a valuable asset to Australia, and yet thoughtless farmers used to shoot it. Mr. Le Souef and Dr. C. Ryan came upon a flock of ibises breeding in the Riverina. They estimated the flock to number 240,000. Several birds were shot for examination, and each bird, it is recorded, was found to contain on the average 2,000 young grasshoppers. It is easy to calculate that such a flock would destroy nearly half a million grasshoppers a day! Where are these birds now when required to stem a locust plague? We have to pay the price of our folly in destroying valuable helpmates.

In the light of further experience and science the unrestricted use of poison; must give way to tho more natural method of preserving the balance of opposing forces, as roughly and briefly indicated; otherwise it will become more and more difficult for man to produce his crops. Research, of course, is necessary, but this is often retarded by lack of funds, which is a tremendous drawback to existing industries.

The Argus, Thursday 27 December 1934, page 3. 'Wild Life and Poison Baits - Destroying Natural Enemies of Pests' by L. G. Chandler. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11003543

"WILD LIFE AND POISON-BAITS

DESTROYING NATURAL
ENEMIES OF PESTS

By L. G. CHANDLER

It is certain that if the poison-bait is accepted as the recognised method of attacking future insect plagues, Australia must in the course of time be brought face to face with disaster. This statement is supported by ample evidence. The appalling shortage of wild life throughout the rabbit-infested areas of Victoria is mute testimony to the deadly toll of the poison-cart. The present gradually increasing army of rodent and insect pests is an indirect result of that shortage. Although the evidence is so clear, we find the authorities cheerfully and thoughtlessly making spectacular attacks on the grasshopper with poison-bait, and systematically killing friend and foe. If there were no other practical method of exterminating the pest, or if the pest could always be kept in check by poison, one could have little cause for complaint, beyond, perhaps, a sentimental love for wild life. But the fact is that if the grasshopper is attacked in an early stage of its life it is possible to have a 100 per cent kill by methods that will not affect wild life or stock. It must not be forgotten, however, that man can cope with the pests only over a limited area. The hundreds of thousands of acres of breeding grounds beyond the settles areas, from which the insects can advance, are kept in control only by birds, reptiles, and useful insects.

Can we afford to allow the poison-bait method of dealing with pests to become an established practice? Emphatically, and Agriculturists are yearly finding the task of balancing the ledger more complicated. The man on the land is faced with increasing overhead expenses, as more and more artificial methods of fighting insect and rodent pests are used. In short, he has to do work that should be done by birds and other wild creatures, more or less free of charge. The poisoning of grasshoppers in the north-west has already borne results unexpected by the authorities. Farmers were assumed that stock would not be affected by the poison. I have just made an inspection of paddocks where poison was laid two or three weeks ago. Poisoned grasshoppers are thick on the ground, and in places there are still little heaps of bran. Almost any insectivorous bird will eat bran, and the dried grasshoppers in the short herbage could easily be consumed by birds, lizards, or stock. I found one heifer dead among the heaps of dead grasshoppers, and I heard of three cases, including this beast, of a valuable cow and other stock having been poisoned. One could not definitely say that these were ceases of poisoning without an analysis of the contents of the stomach, but the appearance of the beasts, and their position in the area poisoned, were very suspicious. In spite of assurances from the experts, no stock of mine would be allowed to wander over poisoned ground.

Damage to Plant Life

Arsenic and soda is a poison deadly to plant life and it is probable that wheat will not thrive in the poison belts. Even should all the poisoned bran be consumed the poison is still in the grasshoppers. On one occasion I poisoned a few square feet of soil with arsenic and soda around a tank stand to combat white ants. For two years I tried without success to grow plants at this spot; this in spite of the fact that I dug out and removed most of the soil and replaced it with fresh soil.

The destruction for closer settlement of breeding-grounds of birds of economic importance has been a vital factor, the run has accounted for hundreds of thousands of birds, but the poison-cart is the chief reason for the scarcity of wild life. Assuredly a reckoning must come, unless public opinion forces the hand of the authorities and poisoning in any shape or form is made illegal. Let the wild-life reach the danger-mark, and the natural check on the insect and rodent be removed, then farmers will stand helpless and panic-stricken before mouse and insect. Poison by the ton will have little effect on such plagues, and where used in quantities it will ultimately render the district unfit for cultivation. Birds, chiefly by reason of the vocarious appetites, take pride of place in the lists of destroyers of insects, and many of the best birds are those that suffer the greatest persecution by man. The crow, or raven, to mention one species, should be placed on the protected list for the whole year. I have seen these birds, in company with ibis, do wonderful work on a plague of caterpillars. Our game birds should be protected from the ruthlessness of sportsmen for a period of five years to allow them to breed. In the north-west of Victoria the present close season for game does not operate, even on sanctuaries.

When taking photographs of water-birds from a hide one day, I was interested to see a small flock of teal leave the creek and begin to scoop up the caterpillars along the bank. Several observant bushmen have told me that wild ducks eat enormous quantities of insects. Gregarious birds are of the greatest value in checking insect plagues. Birds such as the wood-swallow, the ibis, the starling, and the sparrow are among the best. The starling and the sparrow are not regarded with friendly feelings in the fruit areas, but at the time of writing both species are doing work in the horticulturists' cause among the grasshoppers in the Murray Valley vineyards. Their reward may be some poisoned wheat or a charge of shot. There are numbers of useful insects that take toll of the grasshoppers. Among others are various species of wasps and robber-flies. The poison-bait will kill large numbers of these useful creatures. One wasp, Chlorion globosus, catches and paralyses its prey, and after digging a burrow, packs the creature away and lays an egg upon its body. Only a tiny percentage of poison in the grasshopper's body would be required to kill the young wasp hen it began to feed.

Lizards and Snakes Killed

Lizards and snakes live largely on an insect died, and as a lizard will ear an insect dead or alive, the mortality among these reptiles must be heavy. One of the helpers who were laying baits told me that he saw lizards so gorged with the hoppers that they were almost too lazy to move. Newspaper reports indicate that lizards and birds have been found dead.

Promptness in attack must be the slogan for future plagues, and to allow natural enemies of the insect to assist the poison-bait must be eliminated. There is one method of attack that is simple and sage. In all the paddocks that I saw it would have been possible to run a plough furrow, or dig shallow trenches ahead of the mass of small hoppers, to erect a hessian wall, then simply to drive the hoppers into the furrow and spray them with crude oil or kerosene. The use of poison should be made illegal. Ornithologists, naturalists, and observant pastoralists and bushmen have known the danger of the poison-cart, and at intervals during the last 35 years have protested against its use. It is time the Government called together a conference of scientific and practical men to discuss the situation. Honorary organisations such as exist in the Mildura fruit districts during the present grasshopper plague could be made permanent, ready to attack at a day's notice. Farmers in their own interests would act as scouts, and notification of breeding-ground should be made compulsory."

The Argus, Saturday 3 November 1934, page 17. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10991349

"GRASSHOPPERS KILLED BY PARASITIC GRUB
Reports From Riverina

COROWA (NSW), Friday. - According to reports received from various centres parasitic grubs are attacking and killing large numbers of grasshoppers.
It is of interest that in 1891, when grasshoppers infested the district in such numbers that they appeared as a dark mass, small grubs were found eating their way into the insects' bodies just behind the head. The discovery was made by a boy named William Craggs then a pupil at the Corowa public school."

The Argus, Saturday 29 December 1934, page 17. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11003951

"Grubs Eat Grasshoppers

SYNDEY, Friday. - Mr. G. Olen, manager of the Central Western Co-operative Dairy Society's butter factory at Dubbo, states that the field fly, and not the wasp, has caused the deaths of many grasshoppers whose sluggish movement indicated that they contained a parasite. Mr. Olen placed them in a specially constructed box partly filled with green lucerne and earth. As soon as a grasshopper died one or more grubs emerged from the body, quickly went into the earth, and passed into the pupa stage, from which a fully matured field fly emerged."

The Argus, Friday 21 December 1934, page 9. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11002672

"WASHED UP ON BEACH

Thousands at Frankston

FRANKSTON, Thursday. - Countless thousands of dead grasshoppers have been washed up on the beach here. They are scattered right along the foreshore at high-water mark. It is surmised that a high wind swept a swarm of the pests out to sea, where they were drowned."

The Argus, Saturday 10 November 1934, page 19.'Millions drowned in Spencer Gulf' (Cowell, South Australia) http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10992592

"Millions Drowned in Spencer Gulf
ADELAIDE, Friday. - Cowell, which has been infested by grasshoppers for a week, is now almost free of the pests. Fishermen report that the water of Spencer Gulf two or three miles from the shore is thick with drowned grasshoppers. One fisherman said that he had seen them from Shoalwater Point, about 15 miles from Cowell to the entrance of the harbour. The drowned insects are of the flying type. Unfortunately, fresh hordes appear to be hatching on land."

The Argus, Tuesday 30 October 1934, page 3. 'Rain kills Grasshoppers' http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10955436

ALBURY N.S.W
Monday.
The heavy rains of the last week have killed countless millions of young grasshoppers in Riverina, and have made easier the task of the men on the land in fighting the pest. Investigations show also that a small parasitic worm is attacking grass- hoppers, which are dying in large numbers as a result.

Also See:

Historical Methods of Control

Effects to Agriculture