Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1882-08-10
THE FARM.
The New Glover Pest.


1t is highly priced, not only asaforage
and hay crop, but for the valuable soil
enriehing principles
which 1t contains. Hence anything
that affects in any manner the success
full raising of this crop also directly af-
fects the financial interest of vast
number of farmers. 1t is we'll known
that we already have several insects
that prey upon the clover plant. the
most destructive OF which is the cioUer
root bOrer. The clooef seed soeeoil or
midge comes next. with few other
enemies that do minor injury To the
crop. There Is still another one that
for destructiveness seems TO vie with
any of those previously known. Know
ing that the examiner circulates extern
sively in clover producing sections, l
have prepared short history of the
discovery and operations of this insect.
About the first of May, of last year,
in passing through field of clover, l
noticed that many of the leaves were
badly eaten. and found the larva or
worm of some insect present in vast
numbers. However. / paid bat little
attention to the matter until the last
of June, when i found the larva had
changed into BEETLE, and that, con
trary to the habits of most beetles, they
were also feed ng upon the clover leaves.
/ at once forwarded specimens to Pro-
fessor c. V. Riley, at Washington, who
pronounced it identical with the Ply
tonomi P,liactattIs of Europe, of ell
known but Tin Europe) harmless in
sect.
The first of August Professor Riley
paid me visit. and found the pest
more destructive than he had suppos-
ed. But little. however, could be learn
Ell concerningits haSits wilhelm the bee
tie state. Last week Professor K. A.
Schwarz. Assistant EntomOlogist, came
en- from Washington. and spent two
days in a thorough and critical study of
the open field. He found that many
of the last years beetles were still
alive. He also found there larva of
the beetle literally by the millions, and
in all stages of growth, from those just
Matched and nc larger than pins head
up to those full growH'and full half an
inch in length. As many as thirty-two
were counted feeding upon a single
clover plant, and they were found to
eat with apparent relish the leaves Of
the white. red and alsike clovers.
WHAT THEY LOOK Like.
The beetle is adirty brown color. and
would scarcely be noticed. 1t is about
one-third of an inch in length, has six
legs. and is also provided with wings.
but does not often fly. 1t is, however,
first walker. The beetle in the fall
lays eggs of golden yellow color,
which are attached singly or in clust-
er of half dozen or more to the inside
of the old clover-stalks. about the ex.
posed surface of the clover-plant, or
npon sticks add rubbish of any kind
One of the specimens forwarded TO
Washington laid 181 eggs during the
fall. and no doubt this number would
be considerably increased in the open
field.
In the spring after the clover has
made some growth the eggs commence
Matching, producing larva of pale
green color, which Immediately seeks
and begins feeding upon the tender
clover-leaves. The growth, while in
this state, continues several weeks.
When full grown, it is usually of dark
green color. 1t now is ready for trans
formation, and buries itself about half
an inch in the earth and weaves about
itseifa wonderfully. made shell, or rath-
her open network of oval form. In
his shell 1t remains several DAYS, then
eats its way through the cocoon, and
comes forth a full fledged beetle, and
like the larva. tn e, beetle at once begins
to feed upon the clover-plant. But in
stead of eating holes in the leaves. as
the larya usually does, it begins at the
margin and eats toward the centre, or
up and down the edge of the leaf.
While feeding it appears to be ever up
on the alert, and at the first sight of q
moving object will fold its wings and
tumble to the earth as if dead. II does
not fail, however, to wake up and COM
mence operations as soon as you are
out Of sight.
ARE THEY DESTRUCTIVE.
Last year, in field of seven acres,
seeded with mixture IF clover and
timothy, they completely desl royed the
clover upon one part of the field of
about three acres in extent, while the
remaining portions were badly injur-
ed, rs well as other clover-6elds in the
neighborhood and various parts of the
town, This season the destruction is
very great in the adjoining towns, and
judging by the past it will this year
and next be reported as appearing over
wide extent of country.
In Europe there is an ichneumon
fly or parasite that feeds upon them,
which no doubt keeps them under sub
lection. while the closet examination
has failed to find any parasite in this
country, and the authorities at WASH
ington say it would be difficult mat
ter to import them. After careful OBJ
servation, am led to believe that pas
turing the infected fields with cattle
and horses offers at present the one
method of destruction, as the weight
of the animals / find destroys an i'm
mense number of the eocoons, Larvae
and many Of the beetles, although the
latter will Withstand quite pressure
without injury. No injury has thus
far resulted to the stock from feeding
on infected pasturage, as the beetles
and larv@ when partly grown fall to
the ground as the stock approaches.