Milford chronicle., 1889-06-28
The Grain Aphis, or Louise.
A NEW CROP DESTROYER WHICH HA
LATELY APPEARED IN VARIOUS STATES.


A NEW CROP DESTROYER WHICH HAS
LATELY APPEARED IN VARIOUS STATES.
From Nes0 York Herald of June 24)
This species of hemiptera, whose scientific
name is .SibhoNobA0ta azenee, Fab, has uu-
doubleday been imported from Europe, where
it has been described under various names
namely, 4. gtaHayia, Kirby, 4. CEREALS,
kali; 4. Aordei, Kyber. Oflate years it has
become quite numerous in the New England
States, Pennsylvania, New York and some of
the Western States, where it has done con-
siderable damage to the grain crops
DESCRIPTION OF THE INSECT,
They are seen during the season in three
different forms-the winged females, the
wingless females, which are far more numer-
Gus than the winged ones, and the young
wiugless Larvae. Pupe, with minute rudi-
mentary, scalelike wings, may also occasion
ally be seen. They are furnished with
moderately long honey tubes, and females
have also a distinct ovipositor, or taillike
process, at the end of the body, through
which the young are pressed.
The wingless female length one-tenth of
an inch) varies in color, being red, green,
brown, or yellow; the front is convex in
the middle, with a distinct lobe on each
side; antenn'e black, nearly as long or longer
than the body; legs black,
The winged female length one-sixth of
an inch) is brown, rarely green; body with
row of black dots on each side; tip yellow;
wings transparent, with the veins pale yell
low
NO MALES VISIBLE AND NONE REQUIRED.
The writer. however much he has exerted
himself to find the male insect was unable
to do so; and authorities on this subject like
Drs. Lintner, Fitch and others, seem to have
been equally unsuccessful in their search
for the male grain aphis. 1t appears that if
these insects might go on forever producing
young without any intercourse of the sexes.
The grain louise has slender, sharp pointed
bill or proboscis, which it holds under its
breast when not in use. With this it pune
lures the leaves and stalks of the grain and
sucks their juices. 1t therefore has no occa-
sion to leave the particular plant on which it
is born as till the grain is becoming ripe and
Juiceless it has an ample store of nourish-
ment directly at its feet Hence it has no
use for wings to carry it, like other insects,
from place to place in search of food. It
needs wings only to enable it to migrate to
fields ofgrain which are unoccupied in order
to found its colonies Only a small portion
of these insects therefore acquire wings.
These fly away from the winter grain to
plant their race upon the spring sowed grain.
THEIR PRODUCTIvENEss-A MILLION A DAY
Those which have no wings and remain
where they were born, are much more pro
life than those "A ich have wings and wan
der abroad. TIt productiveness of these
grain lice is extraordinary when it is consid- |
cred that the female, being mature in three
days, produces four young daily, and these
becoming equally prolific when they are
three days old. her descendants in twenty |
days will number upward of two millions, |
and will be increasing at the rate of mil
lion daily.
Among its natural enemies are a number |
Of species of parasites, the ladybug, lCocciu.
ellidr) and minute wasps Qchneumonid;e), |
also the aphis lion, or young of the golden
eyed and laced winged flies.
No remedy has as yet been found to save
from destruction a grain crop which is badly |
infested with this aphis, although some wri-
ters have recommended busting with lime or
SCOT