The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1896-06-25

from the pest last year and the year be.
fore, but would not attract attention
from those who are not yet acquainted
with this insect, although all should in.
form themselves OF its destructive habits
for it is promising to be more harmful
to us here than anything Of the kind
with which we are acquainted.
I was informed not long ago that
chinch bugs did some damage in the
western part our county last year, and,
knowing that we we're already nearly
surrounded by them-they being in
every county bordering ours, excepting
Pike, which has not suffered from them,
to my knowledge, deem it proper to
offer these words.
The old theory of the origin of this
insect is that, as it was first discovered
near the Atlantic shores and afterward
in sections Of country to the west, it
formerly was confined to the eastern
shores from whence it has followed the
grain growers to the west. But, the
fact that it has been found to exist and
thrive on vast areas OF wild grasses of
western prairies where cereals had not
been introduced, and that it could not
be found at the same time in extensive
grain growing sections of the east, tend
to explode their old theory, and to give
grounds upon which to inform new
one, viz that the chinch bug existed in
various sections of our country (prairies
especi ally, but not exclusively previous
to the advent of the white man.
A description of the chinch bug is as
follows: The adult is black, nearly one.
fifth of an inch in length, wings and
wing. cases white. In the larval and
pupal stages it is a reddish color, wing.
less and becomes darker as it approaches
the adult stage. The scent is described
as being similar to that of the bed bug.
The adult bug is not considered 80
harmful as those not yet possessing
wings, the most damage being done by
them before reaching that stage.
One would naturally ask whether this
insect is soon to become harmful to us
here, and whether we could check or
destroy it. Taking into consideration
dry weather, which is favorable for the
Matching period and increase OF the
species, and that we are already almost
surrounded by them, I should say yes,
it is quite probable that level, clay farms
of our county are to suffer before many
seasons pass, unless active war is waged
against it, by those who are already
within its reach. It increases rapidly
and is very difficult to destroy or even
to hold in check. Since their winter
quarters are in grasses, under boards,
among leaves, rubbish, straw and fodder
it is self evident that FIRE in the section
infested by the bugs would be more
effective than any other means. Years
ago when the Indians and the locomo.
tives kept up prairie fires, myriads of
alternating insects we're destroyed, but
now, as cereals take the place of prairie
grasses, fires cease and insects thrive.
To prevent or check their ravages up.
on our cereals we must protect the
farmers best friend" the quail, which
is practically their only natural bird
enemy, and fight them before they be.
come too great in numbers.
The Experiment Station, Wooster, O.,
has given some attention to trying a
fungus for the destruction of these bugs.
When inoculated with this fungus
disease one chinch bug will be the
means of ruin and death to almost the
entire army of it's species into which it
has been placed, should the weather be
favorable for spreading of the disease.
Some Adams county farmers received
timely aid last summer from the fungus
being introduced into their neighbor-
hood by inoculated bugs sent them by
the Experiment Station. Other sections
OF the State have received aid in the
same way. Bugs are sent to the Station,
there inoculated, returned to the sender
and turned loose. As dry weather is
conducive to the welfare of the chinch
bug. and as it renders the fungus almost
ineffective, there are seasons when the
insect may 60 comparatively unmolested.
We have had three successive years of
drouth, which has swelled it's numbers
until we begin to hear of it coming into
our own county. This last spring was
favorable for the hatchinY period, April
and May, and it is quite likely that the
second period, about August, will meet
with favorable conditions.
have now taken up all the space l
should ask for, and will close by urging
that all who are to take interest in the
destruction or prevention of SO harmful
an insect, should not be without Bulletin
No. 66, which can be gotten by sending
to Experiment Station, Wooster, o., and
which contains valuable information.