The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-09-24
HESSIAN FLY IN WHEAT.
It's Life History and Treatment In
terestingly Set Forth

Prof. H. 7. Fernald, economic zoologist
of the Department of Agriculture of Penn
sylvania, says Of the Hessian fly pest,
which has been so damaging to our farmers
this year
This insect, which is very abundant in
Pennsylvania, is often known as the ''Hy
or the wheat fly 1t is responsible for
Il large amount Of loss each year, often
destroying one-quarter of the crop and Is
particularly injurious in wet seasons.
LIFE HISTORY.
There are two broods of this insect each
year The winged fly appears in August
and September, and searches for the young
winter wheat to lay its eggs on, and places
them on the leaf blades, anywhere from
one to thirty on blade. In four or five
days the eggs hatch and the young maggots
crawl down the blade, enter the sheath and
pass down to the joint. Here they stay,
sucking the juice from the plant until about
the end of November, when they turn
brown, and harden. This is called the
hax-seed stage. In this condition they
pass the winter In the spring, about the
middle or end of April they change to full
grown form, the winged fly. These, at
once, begin to lay their eggs as before, and
the history as already given for the fall
brood is repeated; the flies from this brood,
appearing in August and September to lay
the eggs on the winter wheat. This, in
brief, is the life history Of the Hessian fly.
TREATMENT.
From what has been given, it is plain
that there is no treatment Of the seed which
will do any good, nor is spraying Of any
possible use. Treatment here must be on
other lines
The best thing to do for the protection
of the wheat from the fly is /:
|. Plant small piece of wheat early
in August so that it may come up early,
and be found by the flies when looking for
IA place to lay their eggs. This piece will,
Of course, be full Of maggots later. About
the end of September pillow this under, and
de- not use the ground for wheat the next
year By this method the flies will lay
their eggs in this early wheat and as they
die after egg laying, few will be left.
,. Do not plant the wheat Except the
small piece just spoken of, until about
September 10th; by that time almost every
fly will have died, and there will be none
left to Law their eggs when the wheat comes
up.
There is Il tendency i'll Pennsy lvania, as
well as elsewhere, for the farmer each year
to get his sowing done Il little earlier than
the year before. This is directly favorable
to the fly. Wheat sown as late as Sep
TENDER 10Th will make growth enough so
that it will not winter-kill. and this method
has been tried in states farther north than
Pennsylvania for many years with success.
3. Some kinds Of wheat are less at
tackled by the fly than others. Rolling
the field, with heavy roller, when the
fields are smooth and free from stones,
about the first of October, is Of value in
some cases. Letting sheep craze on the
fields as soon as two or three blades from
each root appear. ais" helps. the sheep
eating the eggs of the fly, along with the
leaves. Crops ON poor land usually suffer
most: hence the use of fertilizers to enrich
the soil, aids in keeping down the insect.
1. Where the fly is already in the
wheat. cutting little higher than usual
and blowing the Stubble under at once, will
kill the insects before they have changed
to the winged stage Burning the stubble
is also beneficial at this time
SUMMARY.
The fly must be killed or starved. To
kill as many as possible, plant small piece
early, as Il trap for the fly to lay its eggs
ON. then pillow it under and thus kill the
eggs from which the spring brood comes.
TO starve the fly do not plant until
about September Goth, so that the fly will
die before it can find any wheat to lay its
eggs on.
If both these methods are used together,
and if all who raise wheat in any region
will work together to do this, but little
trouble from the pest should occur.
Many farmers in the State are following
this plan already. and with good success.
One writes Il plant il trap piece early,
and my main crop late, and am never
troubled with the fly, while some Of the
farmers in this township sometimes lose
one-quarter of their crop.
If results like this can be obtained in
such AN easy way it will certainly pay to
try these methods.