The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1894-06-22
CHINCH BUGS.

During the last few days many ques
tions have been asked in regard to the
chinch bugs and the disease to be
utilized to kill them. 1t would take
too much space to answer them all in
this issue of the paper, but, if neces
sary they will receive proper atten
tion later.
QUESTION l. How many broodS
does the chinch bug produce? Two
but as the female bug deposits eggs
at intervals for some three weeks
she may still be laying eggs while the
young bugs Matched are already quite
large. Thus the brOodS overlap which
accounts for the fact that during the
summer all stages in the life of al
insect, or eggs, larvae, pupea anC
adults may be found at the same
time.
CUES. 2. Which of the broods is
the most injurious one? The first, as
they attack the grain while still
young, and thus check or prevent the
formation of fruit. The second brood
can also in some instances become
very destructive to the corn, but as
DldU D1d1U 10 WHY cCiOhS ~
usually survives.
CUES. 3. Where do the chinch bugs
pass their winter and in what form:
The full grown chinch bugs OF the
second brood leave the fields when the
food growing there becomes unfit fol
them. They now search for sheltered
spots, which they usually find Gin
abundance upon most farms. The
edges of wood, dead grass, the rubbish
near haystacks, strawstackS, along
fences in fact all sorts of rubbish suit
their purpose. Here they hide with.
out taking any food become torpid
and almost motionless, or seem to
freeze solid with the colder weather
of spring. But as they always select
such shelters that are we'll drained,
they are not readily killed by too
much moisture. OF course many are
killed during the winter. A cold and
uniform winter protects them better
than one with open and warm
weather. The last one was not a
favorable one, and consequently
much more than one half of the
chinch bugs were killed. 1t is pity
that not all shared the same fate.
CUES. 4. What sort of weather is
the most suitable for such bugs? A
warm spring, with little rain, or
rather with no continuous soaking
rain, lots of bright sunshine are the
best conditions for chinch bugs.
Heavy rains followed by warm
weather, do not cause much injury to
them, as in their well drained shelters
the rain soon drains off, as the soil
dries or warns Cloudy or rainy days
are injurious to them.
CUES. 5. Why are such bugs most
abundant upon sandy soil, knobs or
near edges Of wood? The answer to
question 4. will answer this question
as well. Sandy soil and knobs are
well drained or warm up much quick
er than loamy soil in valleys. As
most bugs hibernate under the dead
foliage along the edges Of woods the
adjoining fields are of course the
most easily reached.
CUES. 6. How is the injury caused
by bugs? Chinch bugs have no Bit
ing mouth but obtain their food by
means of suction. For this purpose
they possess upon the lower side of
their head short tube. The tube
contains three sharp bristles-like
knives which are inserted into the
growing tissue Of plant. By inject
ing at the same time very minute
drop Of poison sort of inflammation
sets in which causes the sap to flow
more rapidly to the injured part. Thus
the bugs have no trouble in obtaining
their liquid food from considerable
space near the points they insert their
beakS. The poison thus injected is
very injurious to the plant, and
always makes a discolored spot best
seen upon the blades of corn later in
the season.
CUES. I. What plants are preferred
by chinch bugs? Dali kinds of grasses
are injured as all our cereals are grass
es, all are attacked by the bugs, OF
course they show preferences. Oats
are not to their taste and unless sorely
pressed for food they will not touch
it. Barley and wheat are preferred
and corn is also favorite food. No
other plants are eaten, in fact the
bugs would rather die than eve try
them.
CUES. s. What are the best rem
edies to kill the chinch bugs? Poison,
such as applied to kill the potato
beetle for instance, is of no use, as
bugs have no mouth to chew their
food, and consequently they cannot
eat it. Poison that kills by coming
in contract with them could be used.
Kerosene, for instance, will kill them
very readily, but it is out of the ques-
tion to apply it upon such a large
scale as would be required to kill the
bugs in our extensive fields. 1t and
other external poisons, would cost
more for time, labor and material
than the crops to be saved would be
worth. Clean farming is an excel
lent method to prevent injuries. If
every farm was kept free of shelters
the majority of the bugs would be
killed, and thus be prevented from in
creasing during the spring. By rak-
ing together all rubbish and burning
it late in the fall or early in spring,
many bugs would be killed, and those
that are not actually burned would
be unable to reach new shelters. They
would be killed by the moisture long
before the warm days OF spring.
When the chinch, bugs leave the field