Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1888-12-25
TIE GLOVER NUDGE.
A Little Pest That Has Been Doing @,

n Little Pest That Has Been Doing Com
siderable Damage.
For the information OF some CORE
pondents who have written to us on
the subject, we take the following
facts about this insect from Prof
Beal's work, Grasses OF North Amer
lea" He says: This is not only the
most alarming Of clover pests; but may
be regarded as one OF the most-to-be-
dreaded insects now infesting the val
liable crops OF the United States. It
not only does very serious damage, but
is spreading with great rapidity.
Prof. Lintner first discovered it in
q limited area in Eastern New York.
Now--18s5-it is known TO exist in
Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey,
Ontario, Michigan, and all through
New York. The fact that the insect
may remain in the seed, and thus be
carried with it any distance, adds to
the dangers threatened by this COM
paratively new pest. The eggs are
oval, pale yellow, and only .01 inch
long. The larva or maggot varies
from white TO dark orange or orange
red. 1t is when full grown 1-12 inch
long
The pupa is orange with brown eyes
1t is found in tough silken cocoon
with more or less earth sticking to it.
The flies resemble closely the wheat
nudge. The abdomen is red, thorax
brownish-red. The antenna are fif-
teen-jointed in The male and sixteen
in the female. The wings are hairy,
the palpi and ovipositor each four
jointed. The size varies u little. The !
dark scales obscure the red color, so
that the flies appear dark. Under
Meath, the color is yellowish gray. As
with the wheat nudge and Hessian fly 5
he ovipositor and clasping organs are
'ery prominent The eggs are pushed,
~ means of the ovipositor, down into
he heads of red or white clover, and 81
edged between the hairs that surround
he separate forets. They are not 10
'lued nor placed in the ilorets. As
With the Hessian fly, the eggs may be
aid singly, or in groups of two, three, .
our or five. As many rs fifty eggs
re sometimes placed in a single head Ia
I clover. The larva affects each seed IA
) much as does the wheat nudge each 10,
heat kernel.
After absorbing the life from the {
ed the larva, like the maggot of the g Ioi
heat nudge, leaves the seed and Lq
riggles till it escapes from the clover a,c
'ad and falls to the earth. Often the I
ad of the clover seems alive as a 7iS
lggot pushes from nearly every seed Me-
its effort TO reach the ground. The s
pa is found in its cocoon just be- s.
ath or upon the earth, under some box
otecting leaf. etc The flies have
IN seen in New York in May, Au- yr d
st, and quite likely some flies may sac;
ue in October. Thus there are lsc.
ely two broods in New York, and priI
'sibly three. There are certainly +,
zee farther south. The larvae will So
seen full grown in the seed at Z,
} North in May in July, and again n
September. They possibly pass b
"iutSi 10 Pupses vi ldlc INC A
vac have been found in seed o
the market. This is an unwel- y
ne fact and explains the rapid dis
button OF these insects. The only
nedy suggested is deep blowing a
EN- the larvae are yet only partly II!
,wn. 1t has been suggested that Is
clover for "a time might be u
Sc. That this will suffice is hardly Y
be expected. There is enough wild 4
ver to prevent the determination or =.
y great diminution of these insects. =
; can hope more from parasites. m
Il seed is found stocked with the 4,
vac, it should be put into a close u
isel, as IA jug or barrel, and BIZ. =,
phide OF carbon added. This will m,
| all the larvae post haste. Even an
en- barrel. water-tight, may be use d :;
placing buffalo robe or other ain
hit cover over it, The fact that this No
ect is as far west as Michigan, and
;sibly as far as Illinois, makes it
tier of general interest. In tho
ure clover seed will be valuable. -
rhe Gallatin Democrat by G. RI
lcher and the Augusta Vindicator N