West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-05-08
THE HESSIAN FLY.
Habits and characteristics of an AgricuIt
ural Pest.

urhi rest.
In publishing Bulletin No. /, descrip.
tive of the Hessian fly, Purdue Uni
versity of Lafayette, Ind, has done a
good thing for the interests of wheat
growers. This circular of ten pages
was prepared by Prof f. NJ. Webster.
of the United States Bureau.of Entomol-
ogy, who will hereafter be connected
with Purdue University. He gives an
elaborate description, illustrated by two
plates, of the insect in its several states
Prof. Webster says: The Hessian Ay
is double brooded, the 'laxseeds, or
puparia, being found on the wintor
wheat from late in the autumn, through
the winter, until the early part or mid
die of April. The 'flaxSeeds' of this
brood from one to twenty in number
are situated between the stalk and
| sheathing base of the leaf, at the roots
OF the young grain, slightly beneath the
surface of the ground. The flaxseeds
OF the second generation affect the
wheat 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 Prof. Fitch as fol.
lows 'ln the ordinary course of
nature therefore our crops of winter
wheat are liable to two attacks of the
| Hessian fly, one generation reared i'm its
| roots producing another, which oc-
| cupies the lower joints of the stalks.
Thus the Larvae and pupp are present
in it 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 spring wheat on the other
hand can rear but one brood of these
insects; they consequently resort to II
| but little if at all. Nor can the Hessian
| fly sustain itself except i'm districts
where winter wheat is cultivated in
which for it to nestle during the autumn
and winter
1t appears that there are. as a rule.
two broods of the fly, the first brood
/ laying their eggs late in April and May.
I and the second in August, September,
/ and few as late as the early part Of
. October. Prof. Cook, who has studied
b the insect in Michigan, saws that Gin
! July and August the flies again issue
/ forth, and the cycle of changes for the
/ year is complete. Thus we see that the
! flies are ready for work in the fall.
much before the wheat is ready for
them, and may attack volunteer crop
long before the usual crop is above
ground or even sOwn.
/ third brood sometimes appears.
empty "'laXsced' having been found on
/ volunteer wheat in September. Mr.. H..
7 Hulick, of Michigan, imam experiment.
reports that ne saw many Of the flies
issue, and had eggs laid by these flies
on the same wheat i'm October
/ The Hcssian fly lays It's eggs in the
long creasas or burrows i'm the upper
surface OF the blade Of the young wheat
plant The number of eggs found on
single leaf varies from one TO thirty,
or even more. In autumn the worm
lives ON the sheath 40 the base OF tic
/ leaves, just above tho roots, near or
at the surface Of the soil Tho flax
seed form may be detected from It's
large size and chcsinut-brown color
/ u rs found in separating the stalks Of
. the young wheat in October and No
/ vember, when the worm has STONED
/ feeding and is incascd i'm its brown
| sack Some shoots Of plants will be
! found withcred and changed to a light
/ yellow color The worms, before assum
'itE iIl''N liNhTf''l NIhlf.f rest UeiMtGn
/ the stalks and leaves
Prof Webster says that all writer's
both chronological and agricultural.
agree i'm recommending rs a remedy for,
! and a preventive Of the ravagcs NJ this
insect that at least part Of the whcat
should not be sOwn until after the 10th
Of September in the Northern States.
Fitch. Harris and Cook concur in recon-
I mending thi- course in district. infested
/ by these posts. even though the wheat
may be in danger Of injury from tho
/ cold autumuo' OF winter weather "We
may therefore conclude, that ON the
/ whole, says Prof Webster, "late SOW
ing is the best general remedy; but still
I q part Of the wheat should be- sown
/ early - a deeoy 10 draw of the flies
and induce them to lay their eggs in
the early sown grain, that the later
sown portion may escape their attacks,
and then farmers should pillow under
and re-sow the fields Of early grain. ~
Chicago IriJuue.