Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-01-08
DISCRIMINATING Insects During the
Winter.

FARMERS and gardeners, pOmOlogists
and florists, and all other persons who
are required to combat nOxiouS insects
during the growing season in order to
save the produce Of their fields, gardens
and orchards, may deal far more efficient
blows in the winter towards the eXtermin-
alton of insect enemies than when their
foes are actually committing their depre
datiOns. During the past season our lit
tie cabbage crop of only 400 heads, from
the time the plants were put out in j June
until the 18th Of November, when the
crop was gathered, was besieged by in
sects of seven different species. Every
week we went from one cabbage to the
other, and with our own hands picked
off the invaders and destroyed them. 1t
was impracticable to devise any means
for repelling such formidable array Of
insect enemies. "Catch 'em and kill
'em" was the watchword for the season.
Unremitting vigilance, during the entire
season, was the price of our cabbage.
The worst enemy was the green cabbage
worm, the larva of the parent insect
known as the P5erjs rape. Every week a
new brood would appear. EntOmologists
have stated that this enemy Of the cab
bage crop produces two broods Of worms
or larvae during the season. More than
two are produced. AS soon as cabbage
plants are put out in the spring, the but
terfly (P5er5S TapR( is ready to deposit
her eggs on the under side Of the leaves.
In about a week a worm is produced
from every egg, which is so minute that
one can scarcely perceive it with the
naked eye; and after they have attained
their full size it is often difficult to find
them, even when they are in full view, as
they are so nearly the color of the leaves
Of the cabbage. During the summer
months and the months Of September and
October almost every day, certainly every
week, we have seen the cabbage butter
flies fitting from cabbage to cabbage,
sticking their eggs to the underside of
the leaves. Even on the 9Th of NOvem-
Der several butterflies We're seen deposit
ing their eggs on cabbage leaves. During
the summer we have frequently found
chrysalids Of the cabbage worm adhering
to the growing cabbage. On the 18th of
November, only a day before the ground
frOZe up tightly, we saw several of these
queen worms attached to the lower edges
of the clapboards of our dwelling house,
some of which were about half larva and
half chrysalid, which shows what a for
midable and hardy foe is found in the
green cabbage worm. Of course every
chrysalid on our premises is crushed as
soon as it is seen. Every chrysalid, if al
lowed to remain uninjured until next
spring or summer, will produce butter
fly which will be ready to deposit hun
dreds of eggs on the young cabbage plants
as soon as they are transplanted. 1t is
difficult to catch the butterflies; but it is
Il. 10 IL
pupa state-chrysalids-which may he
found beneath pieces of dry bark on
fences, beneath the coping Of walls, on the
lower edge of the water table of houses
and in scores Of other dry places, where
rain and snow cannot reachthem We
recently saw more than a score of these
chrysalids attached to the castings of a
neighbours dwelling house, beneath his
verandah roof. Let every one be crushed
before next season, and thus save the cab
bage crop.-N. Y. Hera3d