Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1895-10-25

ysYma special study OF
qS5ESa them. Every year
they destroy many
millions of dollars worth OF
stored cereals in granarles anu
elevators. In fact, the question now 10
fight them is one of serious and grow
ing economic Importance. Strange 10
say, very little scientific attention mas
been directed to these insects up to
date, and not much is known ABOUT
them. 1t is reckoned that they cause
an annual loss of over 81 ,0000 900 in Tex
as alone, and in 1893 the corn crop OF
Alabama was damaged by them to the
extent of s1,67O,000.
There are about forty species OF these
insects, some of which are beetles and
others moths. Nearly all of them are
assisted immigrants, having been I'M
ported from abroad in cargoes OF grain.
In this manner they have been dis
tributed by commerce to all parts OF the
world.
Three of the species actually live in
the kernels, while the others feed on the
starchy contents. Grain infested by
them IS unfit for human CONSUMPTION
and has been known to cadse serious
Illness. It is poisonous to horses and IS
not wholesome even for swine. Poultry.
however, find it palatable and Dutri-
tious The moths especially are SO pro-
life that the pogeny of single pair in
a twelve-month viii number many
thousands, capable of destroying sew
eral tons of grain. Fortunately, the IN
crease of these pests is checked to some
extent by natural enemies, among
which are spiders that inhabit mills and
granaries. In the fields they are preyed
upon by birds and bats.
One Of the worst Of these insects is
the familiar "granary weevil,' which
is mentioned in the Georges OF Virgil.
It's ravages made it known long before
the Christian era. 1t is native to the
region of the Mediterranean. Having
| been domesticated for SO long q time it
| has lost the use Of it's wings. The
| female punctures the kernel with her
| snout and inserts an egg, from which
| is hatched a little worm that lives in
the hull and feeds on the starchy in
| terror.
| Quite as bad as this beetle is moth
| that comes from the Mediterranean re-
| gion also The larva, which is known
| in the United States as the ''fiy weevil,
/ does most injury to corn and wheat
In six months grain infested by it loses
40 per cent in weight and IS per cent
of its starchy matter. Incidentally, il
is rendered totally unfit for food, ant
| bread made from wheat infested by the
! insect is said to have caused an cpl.
/ demic recently in France. The pes
was noticed in North Carolina as early
/ as 1928.
Another wicked imported bug is tbs
rice weevil.' 1t originated in India
whence it has been distributed by COM
merce all over the world. AT present i
does as much harm as any other knowr
insect, being serious pest in the south
| ern states. In the tropics generally i
does enormous damage. Formerly, wheI
long voyages were necessary in import
/ ing grain from the east it frequently
| destroyed whole cargoes, having plenty
of time to multiply The adult beetle:
! Of this species cause much trouble il
storehouses and groceries by invading
boxes of crackers, cakes, yeast cake:
/ and macaroni and barrels and bins O.
-four and meal. They can subsist fol
months on sugar, and sometimes they
/ burrow into ripening peaches ant
] grapes.
new grain-destroyer has recentl,
| attracted attention in this country ant
| has earned for itself the title o
"scourge of the -four MILL 1t is thu
Mediterranean flour moth" The cat
erDillars spin webs which make tn,
-four clotted and lumpy so that the ma
chinery in the mills becomes clogget
and has to be stopped for considerable
time. The larvae prefer flour or meal
but they flourish also on bran, prepared
cereal foods and crackers.
/. This subject is considered of such i'm
/ portance that much space will b,
devoted to it in the forthcomin.
Year Book of the Department of Agri
culture The remarks made therein ar,
based upon recent study of weevil
| and their habits by Mr.. F. H. Chit
tenden of the Bureau of Entomology
Farmers are informed that the bes
remedy for such mischief is bisulphid
/ of carbon, which may be applied ii
moderately tight bins by simply pour
ing the LIQUID into shallow pans or OF
bst, of cotton waste and distributin,
Them about on the surface of the grain
The stuff rapidly evaporates, and tn
vapor. being heavier than air, descend
and permeates the mass of grain, kill
ing all insects as we'll as rats and mic,
which it may contain.
Burdens of Matrimony.
Mrs. Speakermind-"I shall need yo'
fhis evening -