The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-08-23
BUGS AND WORMS.
a Novel Battle Waged Between
NOxiOus Insects
Rordes OF Potato Beetles Make IN On
slaughs Upon Invading Army Worms
and the Battle Lasts
for Hours.

Coemus Ecloenrode, of Pike township,
WAS in heading the other day, and gave
the details of a most extraordinary oc-
currenco which happened upon his farm
recently. Mr.. Eckenrode has potato
patch of about an acre and a half near
the western line of his farm, adjoining
the land of Samuel kenderdine. This
place was so infested with potato bugs
that several weeks ago he gave up any
hope of having crop, and he allowed
The bugs to have their own way. In
spite of their numbers, however, they
had not succeeded entirely in eating up
the rapidly growing vines. The army
worms invaded the farm of his neigh
Dor, Mr.. Kenderdine, and crossed over
into Mr.. Eckenrode's land. Mr.. Ecken-
rode went out to observe the progress OF
the pests, and in doing 50 came to the
potato patch. He found potato bugs
assembled in countless thousands on
the edge of The patch nearest to Mr..
kenderdine's land, and facing the di-
rection from which the army WORMS
were coming.
When Mr.. Eclenrode f1rstcame to the
potato patch the advance guard of the
worms were arriving. AS soon as
worm would come within reach of the
bugs one of them would fasten itself
upon his back and begin to eat him, just
as If he were a succulent potato vine.
The result would be that before his
wor1rship could advance a yard he
would begin 10 writhe and wiggle in the
pgonies of death, and would soon be
hors de combat
The worms, whose appetite is most
roracious one, appeared to be all un-
inspecting of the design Of the bugs,
End upo1: their first approach invaria-
bly attempted to eat them, supposing,
no doubt, thatthey were some new kind
of vegetable, but the hard shell of the
bugs served as an impenetrable armor,
rendered thsm perfectly safe against
any weapons the worms could bring
against them
/ It is needless to say that Mr.. Eckeh-
rode watched this curious battle with
intense interest. In short time after
his arrival the worms began TO come by
the thousands and tens of thousands,
md the battle ragged most furiously.
The army of potato beetles was apPar-
entity n.un1berless, and as fast as the
army wospas they were attacked
and killed in the way before described.
Sometimes when there was an unusual
rush. a sort of PiEkett's charge, as it
nvere, the inflow Of worms would adj
nance for q yard or two within the line
of tho bugs, but only-to add their dead
bodies to the wriggling, writing mass
The slaughter went on at such rate
that in a few hours strip Of ground
about ten feet wide along the edge OF
the potato patnr WIS covered to an aver
nge Of foot In depfh with dead worms.
In the meantime the neighbors for
quite q distance around had heard OF
this unique battle aud had assembled TO
watch it. From early morning until
late in the afternoon It kept up, when
not only did the adva1ringarmy Worlds
begin to thin out, but the barrier raised
by the dead bodies of their companions
prevented further advancing in that
direction. Then, by some sort Of an ap-
parent understanding among them,
the worms changed the direction Of
their march and ceased to advance up
on the demesne Of the bugs. The latter.
shortly after this took place, scattered
back among the potato vines and re-
stunned their usual occupation thereon.
There were to all appearances but
few casualties among the bugs, al
though many OF them were caught in
the crush of the advancing worms and
Emotheped or trampled 10 death
One day lately hundreds of people
from all over Pike and adjoining town
ships came to view the results of this
strange battle. Mr.. Eclenrode esti-
mates that the dead worms will proba- |
fbly weigh eight tons. He intends to use !!
them for fertilizing pUposes.-Phila-
lde1ph;a prpss