Crane-fly larvae are frequently seriously destructive locally in grass and wheat fields.  Among their numerous bird enemies, shorebirds rank high.

Another group of insects of which the shorebirds are very fond is grasshoppers.  Severe local infestations of grasshoppers, frequently involving the destruction of many acres of corn, cotton, and other crops, are by no means exceptional.  Aughey found twenty-three species of shorebirds feeding on Rocky Mountain locusts in Nebraska, some of them consuming large numbers, as shown below.

9 killdeer stomachs contained an average of 28 locusts each. 11 semipalmated plover stomachs contained an average of 38 locusts each. 16 mountain plover stomachs contained an average of 45 locusts each. 11 jacksnipe stomachs contained an average of 37 locusts each. 22 upland plover stomachs contained an average of 36 locusts each. 10 long-billed curlew stomachs contained an average of 48 locusts each.

[Illustration:  TWO MEMBERS OF THE GROUP OF SHORE-BIRDS The Killdeer Plover The Jacksnipe These, with 28 other species, destroy enormous numbers of locusts, grasshoppers, crane-fly larvae, mosquito larvae, army-worms, cut-worms, cotton-worms, boll-weevils, curculios, wire-worms and clover-leaf weevils.  It is insane folly to shoot any birds that do such work!  Many species of the shore-birds are rapidly being exterminated.]

Even under ordinary conditions grasshoppers are a staple food of many members of the shorebird family, and the following species are known to feed on them: 

Northern phalarope (Lobipes lobatus). 
Avocet (Recurvirostra americana). 
Black-necked stilt (Himantopus mexicanus). 
Woodcock (Philohela minor). 
Jacksnipe (Gallinago delicata). 
Dowitcher (Macrorhamphus griseus). 
Robin snipe (Tringa canutus). 
White-rumped sandpiper (Pisobia fuscicollis). 
Baird sandpiper (Pisobia bairdi). 
Least sandpiper (Pisobia minutilla). 
Buff-breasted sandpiper (Tryngites subruficollis). 
Spotted sandpiper (Actitis macularia). 
Long-billed curlew (Numenius americanus). 
Black-bellied plover (Squatarola squatarola). 
Golden plover (Charadrius dominicus). 
Killdeer (Oxyechus vociferus). 
Semipalmated plover (Aegialitis semipalmata). 
Marbled godwit (Limosa fedoa). 
Ringed plover (Aegialitis hiaticula). 
Yellowlegs (Totanus flavipes). 
Mountain plover (Podasocys montanus). 
Solitary sandpiper (Helodromas solitarius). 
Turnstone (Arenaria interpres). 
Upland plover (Bartramia longicauda).

Shorebirds are fond of other insect pests of forage and grain crops, including the army worm, which is known to be eaten by the killdeer and spotted sandpiper; also cutworms, among whose enemies are the avocet, woodcock, pectoral and Baird sandpipers, upland plover, and killdeer.  Two caterpillar enemies of cotton, the cotton worm and the cotton cutworm, are eaten by the upland plover and killdeer.  The latter bird feeds also on caterpillars of the genus Phlegethontius, which includes, the tobacco and tomato worms.