The Red Cloud chief., 1885-04-24
THE FLY.
Habits and characteristics Of IN ASrlcult
ura1 Pest.

In publishing Bulletin No. 1. dcscrip.
tive of the Hessian fly. Purdue Uni.
vcr>ity of Lafayette. Ind. has done a
good thing for the interests of whest.
growers. This circular of ten pages
vas prepared by Prof. +. NJ. Webster,
of tho Unite | States Burcau..of EntomSl.
ogy. who will hereafter b. connected
with Purdue University. He gives an
elaborate description, illustrated by two
plates. Of the insect in its several states.
Prof. Webster says: 1.-The Hessian Nv
is double broOded, the .faysecds.' VI
puparia. being found on the winter
wheat from late in the autumn. through
the winter. until the early part or mid
die of April. The 'ilaX>eedS' Of this
brood from one To- twenty in number.
are situated between the stalk and
skcathinS base of the leaf, at the roots
o; tn. young grain. slightly beneath the
surface OF the ground. THE .naxseeds'
Of the second generation affect the
whca. in the late spring and summer.
but are situated higher up. an inch or
two above the surface of the ground, at
the lower joints Of the straw"
He then quotes Prot. Fitch As fol.
lows: In the ordinary course of
nature therefore IL crops Of winter
wheat ar. liable to two attacks Of the
l!essian fly. one generation reared in its
roots producing another. which Oc-
cu:,icS the lower joints of the stalks.
Thus the larv,e and pupr are present
in il almost continually from the time
the tender young blades appear above
the ground in autumn until the grain
ripenS and is harvested the next sum
mer. Our spr ng wheat on the other
han | can rear but one brood of these
insects: they consequently resort To it
but little il ut all. Nor can the H.ssian
fly sustain itself except in districts
where winter wheat is cultivated in
VIII ch for it 10 nestle during the autumn
and winter"
1t appears that there are. rs a rule,
two broods of the fly. the first brood
laying their eggs late in April and Nav.
and the second in August. September.
and - few ~ lat. rs the early part Of
October. Prot. Cook. who has stadicd
the insect in Michigan. SAYS tina, lin
July and August the flies again issu.
forth. and tn. cycle OF changes f.,r tie
year is complete. Thus we see that the
lilies are really for work in the fall,
much before the whea: Is ready for
them. and may ~ ack y volunteer crop
long before the usual crop Is above
groun | or evcn >Own."
4 third brood sometimes appears,
empty. '.i!axsecd' having been found IN
volunteer whea. in September. Mr.. Il.
Hulick. Of Michigan. in an experiment..
reports that he saw many Of the fits
Issue. and had eggs laii Nv thes. dies
the same VIII, ut in October.
Tac He-sian fly lays It's eggs in the
Ion /. cr-as 5 or burrows in the upper
surface %; tlc bla'!e of the Young whea.
plant. The number Of eggs found ON
a SINGLE leaf varies from one 20 thirty,
or evca Nor. In autumn the worm
on the sheath a: the base o. tue
leaves. just above the roots. rear oi
y: the surface of the soil. The FLAX
seed form may b. detec:cd from its
large SIZE aud chcs;nutlrown color.
VA StsAs tNe StsAA> ~
the youn- wheat in Octoi er and No.
vember. when the worm has STOPPED
feeding and is incased in its brown
sack, Some skocts Of plants Will be
ionnd withered All | changed to a lich:
yellow color. The worms. ba.o-, ass,,:n-
ing the T ''tayseed' state. rest between
In. stalks an! leaves
Prf. Webster saws tina: all writer's.
both chronological and agricultural. !
agree IN recomu-t..ng IS = remedy FIR. +,
and a preventive of the ravay~, III thi. /.
'a>ecs that at leas; psrt If the wheat !
should not De sOwu until aftc- the :O.h
81 September in the Northern Stats
Fitch. harris aad Cook ccucur in recon-
ineadin: this course III district. infested .
Q! these pests. even though the whes. !
ce IN danger If injury trom I've |
o!d au'nmnai OF winter weather. I'VE |
therefore conclude. tina, o, ,bs
whole. says Rrof. Webster. AT. So~-
ing Is the lest general remedy. bn, S,:n
. part of the wheat should n. .oc-n
early as decoy to draw OF the HE.
and induce them to lsy their eocs ~
the carly sown grain. that the To-.
sowa portion may escape their ntt,cl.
and then farmers should plos md:
aid re-sow the fields Of earlv rr.;r
Chicago 7rIsaG