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Get the 1930s History Brief series on Kindle Get the Teacher's Resource Manual here The following video provides a short explanation of other problems Dust Bowl survivors endured, including jack rabbits, grasshoppers, static electricity,...\n
Get the 1930s History Brief series on Kindle Get the Teacher's Resource Manual here The following video provides a short explanation of other problems Dust Bowl survivors endured, including jack rabbits, grasshoppers, static electricity, and more. *** Like our Facebook page Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Twitter Check out our TpT store Check out our website Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for fair use for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational, or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. *** The dirt and dust storms of the Dust Bowl era were just the beginning of farmers’ problems in the 1930s. What were some of the other problems they faced? As a severe drought ravaged the Great Plains, and the huge dust storms further altered the ecology of the region, new waves of pests began sweeping across the prairie. The worst of these new varmints were jackrabbits. Jackrabbits breed at an amazing rate, producing as many as eight young a month. Normally, jackrabbit populations are kept at normal levels because of their natural predators such as coyotes. However, during the Dust Bowl, those predators had either died, or moved on to other regions in search of water. With no natural predators, the jackrabbit population surged to unbelievable levels, and they became a major pest across the plains as they ate grass and crops. In an effort to reduce the jackrabbit population, residents across the Dust Bowl region held rabbit drives, rounding up the animals and disposing of them. In one rabbit drive, which took place in Kansas, they captured more than 35,000 rabbits in one afternoon. Grasshoppers became another nightmare during the Dust Bowl. Just like the jackrabbits, the grasshopper’s natural predators (birds and rodents) had moved on in search of water. Grasshoppers travelled in swarms across the land, with as many as 23,000 insects per acre. They devoured virtually everything in their path. Many efforts were utilized to try and curtail the plague of grasshoppers. The National Guard burned infested fields and even crushed the insects with tractors. The Civilian Conservation Corps spread large amounts of insecticide which was made from arsenic, molasses, and bran. Inside houses, other types of insects were a danger as well. Poisonous centipedes and deadly spiders infiltrated homes in search of shade or water. There are some reports of women filling entire buckets full of these types of pests. Static electricity created a different type of danger. Friction caused by blowing dust particles rubbing together, and against metal objects, created large amounts of static electricity. This electricity was powerful enough to kill crops and even knock a person unconscious. Many Dust Bowl survivors remember seeing blue arcs of static electricity at night, coming from windmills and barbed wire fences. These were just a few of the additional dangers that many people endured during the Dust Bowl.\n
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\" data-title=\"Get Full Access\" data-container=\"body\" rel=\"popover\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Play video: History Brief: Dust Bowl Pests\" href=\"/subscription/new\">
![\"History](\"data:image/png;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs\" "\\"History")
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![\"History](\"https://statictemp.lp.lexp.cloud/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/missing.png\" "\\"History")
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