The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-07
ARMY WORMS MASTERING
Getting Ready for Depredations in
the Bitter Root.
ATTACKING GRAIN FIELDS
They Are Moving From Missoula River
in Two Directions : Farmers
should Dig bitches and
Drown the Pests.

Missoula. May 6.-The army worm.
of which mention has been made in
these dispatches within the past few
weeks. is still present. but in smaller
numbers than when first noticed. Prof.
NJ. J. Elrod of the State university was
called to-day tn the Reichlie ranch to
investigate the matter. He said to-
night TO a Standard reporter that the
worms are apparently near the moth
stage and will do but little more dam
age. Mr.. Reichlie has killed many Of
them by blowing ana %furrowine. but
much of his oat crop has been dam
aged. Professor Elrod said tonight:
Il desire to call the attention of the
farmers around Missoula to the fact
that the worms that have appeared in
such numbers early I'm the spring along
the valleys have been moving. and are
liable to do much damage to any field
through which they may pass, IL the
grain Is but just up. IN the north
sid of the Missoula river they have
traveled across the fiat and are as
cending the foot hills. where they are
clearing the vegetation from the hill
sides as they GO. Up toward Granite
creek they have not yet reached the
hills. put have entered some Of the
grain fields. Farmers are To bear in
mind the worms hide during the day
and feed and trave at night. The
worms are very likely to enter a field
OF grain and clean OFF several acres be-
fore they are noticed. In "A former COM
munication II was said that IL was
hardly likely the first brood would do
much damage. The statement was
made on expectation that the worms
would he transformed before the grain
would be up. and further that they
would have so far to travel over the
Hat where there is little vegetation
that they would be much scattered. II
is a very rare thing for a May brood to
do damage on the north sid Of the
river. The worms have Travelled two
miles I'm a month. ON the south side
they have travelled al far, il not far
Their.
Farmers will do well To seek the
worms and find IL they are moving to-
ward growing fields. If so. proceed at
once tn run a ditch between them
the field and turn ON the water. AS
the worms come to the ditch the ma
jority of them will he drowned. but
few getting across. II they get into a
field proceed I'm the same way. Get
ahead OF them. dig a ditch and turn
on the water. The worms are now
large and fat. and evidently will soon
transform to the adult or moth. They
are not in such enormous quantities as
to be conspicuous. but the grain is
just coming through the ground. and
one good big worm can chew up a half
dozen small blades at "A meal. soon
leaving the field bare. Whether Eat
ing off these leaves will destroy the |
crops lis "a question. but those first en- =,
tering the field are only forerunners
of those following. There is only one
sure way to take care OF them. inc
that Is To keep them out of the field.
them toward your neighbor, or
toward the creek. river or
Treat a good stand of meadow grass
the same as "A field of grain and don't
let them get in IL.
Such an army of larval insects has
never been known in the Bitter Root
Dr Missoula valleys, and, of courAr.
could no be predicted. Naturally far
mers do not pay much attention to in
sects until they appear in such num-
bers as to be conspicuous. Fore
is forearmed. and IL is better
TO be on the lookout for them than To
their arrival. Experiments are
now being performed on insects i'm the
of the university To find out
more definite about their
past history. Information AS to the
and habits OF worms. as well as
their d~epredations, will be gratefully
received"