The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-04-17
THE HESSlAN FLY.
Habits and characteristics of an AgricuIt
ural Pest.

Habits and Characteristics of an AgrfcuIte
ural Pest.
In publishing Bulletin No. l, descrip-
tive of the Hessian fly, Purdue Uni
| yersity 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 BureauIof 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: 1.-THE Hessian flv
is double brooded, the .flaxseeds,' or
puparis, being found on the winter
wheat from late in the autumn, through
| the winter, until the early part or mid
die of April The fiaxseeds' 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 'fiaxseeds'
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: SIN the ordinary course of
nature therefore ou@ crops of winter
| wheat are liable to two attacks of the
,Hessian fly, one generation reared in its
roots producing another, which oc-
cupies the lower joints of the stalks.
Thus the larvae and pupe 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 is
but little if at all. Nor can the Hessian
fly sustain itself except in districts
where winter wheat is cultivated in
which for it to nestle during the autumn
and winter
1t appears that there are, as rule,
two broods of the fly, the first brood
| laying their eggs late in April and May,
and the second in August, September,
and few as late as the early part of
October. Prof. Cook, who has studied
| the insect in Michigan, says that sin
July and August the flies. again issue
forth, and the cycle of changes for tho
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."
A third brood sometimes appears,
empty ''flaxseed' having been found or
volunteer wheat in September. Mr. 3.
.Hulick, of Michigan, insan experiment,
reports that he saw many of the flies
issue, and had eggs laid by these flies
on the same wheat in October.
The Hessian fly lays its eggs in the
long creases or burrows in the upper
surface of the blade of the young wheat
plant. The number of eggs found OF
"a single leaf varies from one to thirty,
.or even more. In autumn the worm
lives on the sheath at the base of the
leaves, just above the roots, near or
at the surface of the soil. The ''fax-
Iseed' form may be detected from its
large size and chestnut-brown color.
II is found in separating the stalks of
the young wheat in October and No.
3! vember, when the worm has stopped
feeding and is incased in its brown
sack. Some shoots of plants will be
found withered and changed to a light
| yellow color. The worms, before assum-
ing their ''fiaxseed'' state, rest between
the stalks and leaves.
Prof Webster says that all writer's,
both chronological and agricultural,
agree in recommending as remedy for,
and preventive of the ravages of this
insect, that at least part of the wheat
should not be sown until after the Goth
of September in the Northern States.
Fitch, Harris and Cook concur in recon-
mending this course in districts infested
by these pests, even though the wheat
may be in danger of injury from the
cold autumnal or winter weather 1--WE
may therefore conclude, that on the
whole, y says Prof. Webster, slate SOW
ing is the best general remedy; but still
a part of the wheat should be sown
early as decoy to draw off 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 Tribune