The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-20
FARM, FIELD, GARDEN.
Agricultural College Bulletin
on the Wireworm.
BEES IN THE YAKIMA VALLEY.
A Single Swarm Able to Gather I've
Hundred and Forty Pounds OF Hoaey
lin . Single Season.

the wheat fields in the western part OF
Garfield county, in this state. with re-
quests that the matter should be investi-
gated and q report made for the benefit OF
the farmers of that section, or wherever
the pest should make its appearance. A
messenger was accordingly dispatched
under the direction of this station to the
affected district with instructions to make
a collection of the worms.
Through the efforts Of the farmers OF
that section, cooperating with the staff OF
this station, we have been put into pos
session OF large number of specimens OF
the pest. An examination of the worms
received shows them to be wireworms. OF
which about 80 per cent. are OF the species
known as Melanotus communis. and
which has sometimes been CALEB the
''corn wireworm," although there exists
no reason why it should be so termed, as
it works upon wheat and other plant seeds
and roots as well as upon corn. The other
10 per cent. Of the specimens received be-
long to the species known as Agriotes
mancus, or the wheat wireworm.
The wireworm is a we'll known, and in
many localities a much dreaded pest, in
Testing field crops generally. Where they
abound in large numbers they are invall-
ably destructive to crops. The wireworm
is slender worm. and when full grown
reaches length of from one inch I'd an
inch and one-fourth. The body is cylin-
drical in form. with the ventral or under
part considerably fiattened. The body is
divided into segments of nearly equal
length, except the first three Immediately
back of the cephalic or head segments.
The first of these is subquadrate, or nearly
of equal width and length. The two fol-
lowing segments are each about One-half
the length of the first segment. The
caudal segment is generally much more
fiattened than the otner segments of the
body. The body has smooth and very
hard surface, by reason of which the COM
mon name 'wireworm" has been sug-
gested. 1t is supplied with six short, stout
legs, three on each side, and attached to
the first three segments of the body at the
rear of the cephalie segment.
This general description enables us to
detect the worm wherever it may be found.
The various species may be d termined by
certain minor characteristics. subordinate
to its distinguishing generic features.
The distinguishing features Of the vari-
the color, the formation of the various
parts of the cephalic segment and the
varying popularity of the caudal seq
ment.
We will give description of the two
kinds received at this station from Gar
field county.
The species of wireworm known as
Melanotus communis, to which the larger
portion of these collected and forwarded
to this station belong, has the general
CHARACTERISTIC of the genus, of being sub
cylindrical in form. segmented, smooth.
hard and wlre-like, and body very sparse
ly haired. The color, however, is light
brown, with the head and adjacent seq
ments somewhat darker and the ventraI
portion somewhat lighter. The caudal
}>oht f,rrs faho thxav tie
tinguishing feature of this species. This
segment is much fattened and concaved,
and the sides are each marked by two de-
| pressions or notches. giving it f1uted or
wave-like appearance. This caudai seq
| ment ends in short and somewhat blunt
| tubercle. The dorsal or upper portion of
| the caudal segment is marked by five
| longitudinal impressions, four of them be-
| ing nearly parallel upon the cephalic por-
| ton OF the segment. while the fifth runs
| along the middle of the segment, begin
| ming just below the bottom line of the
| other four and continuing to the caudal
| extremity of the segment. The ventral or
| under portion of this segment is wrinkled.
| The species of wireworm known as the
| Agriotes mancus. or wheat wireworm,
| and of which few were found among the
| specimens sent US from Garfield county,
| has the general characteristics of the
| genus, such as the cylindrical, segmental
| body. hattened on the ventrai portion,
| chiootu, "EIy anu ne
color of this species, however, is a very
| light yellow, while it's head and caudal
segments differ quite considerably from
the other species. The caudal segment,
| instead of possessing fluted sides, tapers
| regularly and smoothly to a moderately
| sharp point, which is of brownish color
| On each side of this segment, near its suit
urai conjunction with the preceding seq
| ment, is a very marked oblong depression,
| distinguished by darker color than the
4 ~,-S,t
| the lower end of each of these depressions
is short longitudinal line, and two SINH
| lar lines are located inward, eoui-distant
from each of these obiong depressions
The wireworm is the larva or hatch of
the egg of beetle, commonly known as
the ciick-beetle. This is small, brown or
black beetle, and is sometimes recognized
| from the fact that when placed in any un-
natural position it regains it's feet by
| throwing itself into the air by an action Of
the body which produces a short, sharp,
clicking sound. There are, of course
many species of click-beetles, the number
being co-extensive with the different vari-
cites of wirewOrms.
The beetle. generally speaking, is small
insect. varying in size from an eighth to
probably nve-elghths of an inch in length.
These beetles are supposed to deposit
their eggs at the spring time. in the earth,
where they hatch, producing the wire.
worm. When the worm has lived its
| allotted time, variOusly estimated to be
| from two TO five years. it passes into q
| state Of pupation; it commences to trans.
form from life as n worm to life as a ma
tured beetle. In the earth it makes a
small oval cell, in which it immures itself
| and in few weeks it molts and out of its
wirv skin comes a soft white pupa, which
| IN general form resembles the mature
| beetle.
| This process IS said TO begin about the
| first of July. and that it requires abou,
| three weeks to effect the transformation
| This information Is furnished upon obser
! vatlons made IN the eastern sections o,
| our country There is reason to SUP
| pose that Il might be different in Wash
! ing}on, but observations will be carefully
| made that our knowledge of the matter
may be perfect. The pupa soon after
! takes on the form OF the matured beetle
/ excepting that at first II IS nearly white
ana quite tender. but il soon natures L
! remains In the ground until the ensuins
| spring. when 1t emerres again to Law il:
eggs. and thus keep up the process OF re
production.
For much Of the information now pos
| ses>et concerning the life and habits O
this pest, the agrcultnrists OF this eountr,
are indebted 10 the careful researches ant
valuable experiments conducted by Prot
/ J. Ii Comstock. the entomoioglsr of Cor
nell university. New York.
Prot. CoInstock has conducted some es
pecIa.ly interesting experiments with re
terence to the destruction Of the larva, TN
| purse and the mature beetles. and has az
i rived II conclusions that are noteworthy
as being OF essential value 70 the farmer
/ wherever the wlregorm has taken I'D il
| ha5!iatl0n. His experimentation ex
tended over period af about three wears
! employing three methods OF action--f!rsi
| protection Of the seed; second, destructio'