New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1894-06-13
THE AWFUL CHINCH BUGS,
Prof. Otto Lugger, their Arch Enemy Tells
How to Get Rid of Them.
Their Habits and Methods Of Operation Do
scribed by One Who Knows.

DR.. Otto Luyger, State Entomoiogist,
was in the city Saturday and left with
us an article on ch1nch bugs which we
give herewith fo~ its great value.
Chinch-bugs pass their winters in such
shelters that are we'll drained; low and
swampy ground is never utilized for this
purpose. The edges ofwoods and groves,
dead rank grass, tho vicinity of hay and
straw w-stacks and rubbish of all kinds Of
fer good shelters and the bugs are not
slow in finding them. Under them they
pass the winter in a torpid state, or do
not stir until revived by the warm sun
in early spring. About the time that the
first blades of the young plants of gras :
.ses appear they have become active and
begin to gain strength by tapping the
sap from these food plants. This is done
by means of tiny beak or tube located
upon the under side of the head. This
beak contains three bristle-like knives,
which are forced into the growing plant.
But by this means alone they could not
obtain the required amount of sap, SO
they inject with these bristle-knlves a
minute drop Of poison, which starts a
sort of inflammation forcing the plant to
send sap to the injured part. Chinch-
bugs can not be killed by such poiseus
as are used against such insects as the
potato beetle, simply because they do
not chew their food and can consequent
ly not swallow it.
Towards the end of May the bugs for
the first time during their existence make
use of their wings, and all leave their
wintering quarters, frequently forming
in cloud-like swarms. This flight is SIM
ply owing to the necessity of providing
food for their otfsprings. Bugs are good
botanlsts, AS they make their way ,,ncr-
ringly to a field Of their preferred food.
wheat, barley and millet. Of course
they will eat all sorts of grasses, but not
until compelled to do so by the absence
of their favorite food. No other plants
than members of the grass family are ever
utilized. This year, owing to a hot spell
early in May, the bngs commenced to
swarm almost fourteen days in advance
of the usual time. Reaching the young
grain they take some little food, but u.s.
ually cause but little damage. Their
main object is to select a partner for life,
and soon only paired insects will be
found. During the colder portion ot
the day the bugs hide in cracks in the
soil or near the roots Of the plants; when
warm they are found running over the
more exposed surfaces of the ground.
During the next week the bugs will be
busily engaged in laying their eggs upon
and near the roots of plants, as the fe-
1lld1C VII oCVCId1 WCCNS toN(CpOS-
it from forty to eighty eggs. The male
bug soon dies after mating. From the
fact that the female lays bu: IL few eggs
every day, the other fact is explained
that eggs, larvae. pap@e or winged in
:sects can be found all through the sum-
mer. We have every year two broods
of chinch bugs. The eggs for the first
and most injurious brood are being laid
now. Later another one is produced
which cannot cause much injury to oul
small cereals. as they are already either
killed by the first brood, or are too old
to offer liquid food. The bugs, of all
sizes, are now forced to leave their field
of operation and to march to new pas
lures, the corn fields, where they can still
do great damage. 1t is strange that this