The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1896-09-11


THn Army wokn.
Sonas Practical Hints About right-
q ing the Pest. .ss
4 Prof. Otto Lugger, the state ento-
mologist Of Minnesota, has been maxi
ing an extended investigation concern
ing the army worm, and has issued a
bulletin with regard to 1t, from which
we take the following extracts. He
says that these worms do not do as
much, damage us might be supposed
from their large numbers. This is be-
cause at the time these armies are
formed the grain is usually nearly ripe,
or has been already cut. He further
says:
posing such an army, we find that
large number are badly infested with
parasites. One Of every three worms
has from one to six cream-colored
minute eggs fastened there by q COM
mon looking fly, that looks very much
like thrifty and overfed house fly. II
you watch these flies depositing their
eggs you will see peculiar and novel
sight. They hustle around their in
tended victim, which Is we'll aware Of
the intended purpose Of its enemies,
and twists and comforts its body In
most violent manner, at the same time
ejecting the nasty stomach fluid
toward the tormentor. But all in vain;
before long the fly has deposited its
eggs and visits another victim. Sew
eral other parasites are now exceed
ingly numerous. These have a more
cruel way Of reaching the end in view,
as they insert their eggs into the living
worm. Those that wish to see the
actual struggle for existence should
go to the trouble Of going to field in
Tested with army worms at night time
with lantern. They would be able to
see large number of insects and AMI
mails come to the feast served to them
by nature.
cit would take too much time to en-
large upon these points, but they all
show that the army worm Is not to be
blamed for moving away.
Like in so many other cases, IN
ounce of prevention Is worth pound
VI SuACs IL we AOOA VVSI lAO ACAuS IA
which army worms are playing such
havoc, we can soon trace that they
came from more or less well defined
space. This space is either low piece
Of land, overgrown with coarse swamp
or straw pile that ought to have been
places are selected by the moths which
fSsn,
struction to lay their eggs in. Here
as very minute worms have an oppor-
tunity to grow and to produce the first
generation of moths, which are never
Injurious. These moths, however, at
the rate at which they increase, are
perfectly able to produce innumerable
armies later in the season, provided,
however, they are favored with such
suitable condition as O wet spring. If
we follow one Of these worms we will
see that it disappears from view in
about four days from now. 1t forces
its way into the soil, and by turning
round and round it forms there O cell,
in which it changes into a reddish
brown pupa, from which the moths
issue, and to show the power of in
crease 1t is only necessary to mention
that they lay about $50 eggs, which
hatch, in about eight days.
"NOw, what shall we do to fight
these nasty worms? Now that the
greater damage has been done, a real
remedy comes too late. Yet there is a
sort of fascination in the thought that
we can kill immense numbers of these
disgusting insects. They nearly all
move in one general direction, which is
in our favor. By moving off wide
swath between the fields invaded, and
the fields to which the worms are trav-
cling, and then blowing deep furrow
with its straight side toward the part
to be protected, we have an excellent
trap, which can be improved on &C.
cording to the conditions of the ground,
by making holes with crowbar into
which the worms tumble. In most
cases this deep furrow or ditch is suffi-
cient, but IL the number Of worms is
very great, second parallel furrow
should be made, throwing the earth
over into the first furrow, for in so do
ing the prisoners are covered up and
we start a new line Of defense. Many
other methods are in vogue, but they
are all simply notifications Of this sys-
tenn, and any person with little inge-
nuity can add to them. II the furrow
made is kept fairly dusty 1t forms
barrier which few can scale.
1T is sometimes recommended to
spray with Paris green all the plants
in the way over which the army worm
passes. 1t seems to me that is an ex-
cellent remedy in theory, but I have
failed thus far to receive any good re-
suits from It,
Farmers need not fear q repetition
Of the army worm for some time, ex-
cept the spring Of 1897 should be again
exceptionally wet. The very great ma
jority of these worms are doomed to
die by their numerous enemies; nor is
there any danger that the army worm
will ever eat fax. q fear expressed by