The Western advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1872-1874, 1874-08-08
The Chinch.Bug.

PROF. G. V. RILEY, the State In
tomologist of Missouri, thus, in q recent
number of the St. Louis Republican,, cpl
tOmiZes the information concerning the
chinch-bug:
The chinch-bug Injuries 10y suction, not
by biting. 1t winters in the perfect
winged state, mostly dormant, princi-
pal]y in the old rubbish, such as dead
leaves, corn-shucks, corn-stalks and un-
der weeds and PROSTATE fence-rails and
boards that generally surround grain
fields; also, in whatever other sheltered
situation it can get in adjacent woods:
hence the Importance of fighting the
pest in the Winter-time by burning it
with it's aforementioned shelter. Such
burning will not destroy all the dormant
hosts, but will practically render
the species zharmless-especially where
whole communities combine to practice
it. 1t issues from it's winter quarters
during the first balmy days of spring,
when those females which were imprcg-
mated the previous fall, and which are
most apt to survive the winter, CON-
mcnces ovipositing at once, if suitable
conditions are at hand. Others take
readily to wing, and scatter over our
fields, attracted by preference to grain
growing in loose and dry soil, into which
they penetrate to consign their eggs.
The eggs are deposited on the roots, and
the young bugs, which are red, remain
underground, sucking the roots during
the early part of their lives, or until they
are forced from necessity to travel from
one plant to another. These spring.
Matched bugs, constituting the first
brood, do not as rule acquire wings
till after wheat is cut. 1t is, there
fore, during and just after wheat har-
vest that they congregate and travel
in such immense sWarms as to at
tract attention. In July, as these
acquire wings, they scatter over grass,
late grain and corn fields, where they lay
their eggs; but the second brood, hatch
ing from these eggs, attract less atten-
ton and do less injury than did the
first, because of it's more scattered ma
ture and the greater maturity and re-
sisting power of it's food-plants. Any
thing that will prevent the mother bug
from getting at the roots of the grain
will prevent the injury of her progeny;
hence the Importance in this connection
Of fall blowing and using the roller upon
land that is loose and friable and hence
II old corn ground is sufficiently clean, it
is good plan to harrow in crop of small
grain upon it without blowing at all
The earlier, also, that wheat gets well
started and natures the less it will suffer
because it may he harvested before the
bugs acquire their greatest growth and
power for harm; hence, and from the
greater compactncss of the ground, winter
wheat suffers less than spring wheat.
Heavy rains are destructive to the
chinch-bug; hence, if such occur in the
fall, the farmer may plant with little fear
of injury the following year, while if they
occur in spring he need suffer no anxiety
SO far as chinch-bugs are concerned
hence, also, where irrigation is practica
BILE, the pest may at all times be over
come. 1t Injuries no other plants than
grasses and cereals. In its migration
from field to field it may be checked by
line of tar poured on the ground, or by
deep burrows or trenches, but the tai
must be kept soft and the surface of the
burrows friable and pulverized.