The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-07-15
Insect Pests.

rrom the UiWdmSpOb Oo"ete :"
Bulletin.
The annually increasing depredatious
Of the insect tribe will have a tendency
to make the study Of chronology posi-
tive necessity among the agricultural
portion of tho commuuiiy at least, so
that We may be able to discriminate be-
tween friends and enemies in this divis-
ion of natural history.
The benefits derived from insects, if
we except the silkworm, bee and coch.
meal, are not very obviousj on the con-
trary, the injuries we suffer from them
impcls US to seek means of destruction
to the Objectionable ones, and to re-
move our natural rcpugnapce to such as
can be Of service to us.
Civilization and cultivation have de-
stroy ed the balance between insects aud
plants and insects and other animals,
so that they are deprived of their
natural food aud bave no other resource
than the cultivated plants Perhaps
no greater mistake has been committed
than tile destruction of insect-eating
birds and reptiles,
We have no reason TO believe that
any absolutely new insects are created
from time to time, but that they have
been transported through commercial
exchange, and ravage the country, be-
cause their ordained destroyers have
been removed by the public enemie.
who are allowed to prowl around shoot
ing everything that eau be called game.
Entomlogists say there are on an aver
age four distinct insects to each plant;
in studying them the basis of classified
ton is founded on the structure Of the
mouth in the adult state; the first great
divisions are comprised in seven orders
The first order is called coleptera, (sis-
nifyine sheath) or beotles-old English,
bytlan insect that bites The fifth order
is lcpidoptera, or butterflies, moths, etc
In these two divisions are found m 81
of the insects which are destructive to
vegetation.
In the former we f1d weevils, cur
culio, the potato bug, cucumber bug,
fleas, and the blisteriDg beetle.
In the latter We fnl cabbage worms
cut worms, tomato worms and many
others, repulsive but none the less
destructive for that.
a few facts in regard to the pature
OF these insects may be of general inter-
eat: Insects generally breathe through
nine little holes along the sides of the
body. Plant lice retain their eggs
within the body until the young are
ready to escape but othe,s are invara
bly, produced from eggs, and never
spontaneously, sumc insects prey upon
the eggs Of others, and still others take
some insects whole, so that the equili-
brium is maintained until man steps in
aud breaks the chain, when his own
luckless head meats with calamity
Most insects are subject to remark able
transformations many Of which are
familiar; the butterfly We see comes
from the caterpillar, the mosquito from
the little f,h-ike animal in the staguant
water, the full fed maggot, after riOting
its appointed time in filth. craws away
aud in due time com forth fly 10
buzz about cur dinner tables.
1t is amu,inS TO watch lbc majority
OF person. handle almost auy insect the
potaio hug i,r instance, some dare not
get within thee feet of them, aud but
.ew dare ,ouch them with their fingers,
while an entomo!ogist meeting one for
the first time would eagerly sciz" it be-
tween his thumb aud finger, and look
for the number of auteun &c spirsclcs,
ucel!i, palpi, ,tc,, and Speculate upon
his three transformations, first larvae
second pupa, thitd adult, while his
neighbor ran away with upIilled hands