The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1900-06-05
GREEN
Wheat Louise is Harmless
Description Of the Insect

LAWRENCE, KAN, JUNE 4-During
the last week reports have been coming
In to the department OF entomology at
sbe University Of Kansas regarding
species of lice that was found in the
wheat fields of Harvey county and also
in two counties OF oklahoma. Several
boxes OF these insects have been sent
To the university with inquiries as to
What they are. where they came from
and how to get rid OF them. According
10 Prof Hunter who Is at the head or
the department of entomology these in
sects are nothing new In 1861 they m
tested New England in great numbers,
but no serious damage was done. Nor Is
this the first time Kansas wheat has
been infested with the insect. Severai
times reports similar to those that are
coming I'm new have been received by
Prof Hunter who has made a careful
study OF the insect.
Ii is not definitely known whether the
wheat parasite spends the winter i'm the
wheat fields as an egg or as ninsect'
but be that as it may, the young insect
Is to be found among the wheat in the
early days Of May. They feed promis-
cuously upon the blades Of the plants
until the wheat begins to head when
they congregate there and make their
presence more noticeable. They crowd
down into the head between the grains
and sinking their beaks into the base
OF the grain, suck out the juice Of the
plant These wheat lice are green and
yellow and brown in different stages Of
growth In size they are pear shaped
and from one-tenth to one-eghth Of an
inch long.
About ten years ago a serious outbreak
OF these insects occurred in Southern Illi-
nOis and Indiana. A special agent Of the
department of agriculture at Washing
Eon was sent there and in his report he
wrote: Probably no insect has occurred
I'm the state of Indiana for many years
which has caused such Il general commo-
ton among wheat growers and which
worked such little damage considering
its numbers as this one.'
There are several reason for the home
feSsness Of the insects. First, they are
highly susceptible to climatic conditions.
Violent changes Of temperature check
sapid multiplication. A cold, drizzling
ain apparently freezes them and a hard.
beating rain will frequently wash whole
Swasms of them off of their food plants
never to return again On the other
hand the warm, sultry cond tions of the
atmosphere previous to n thunderstorm
fs very productive to their rapid null
uplication. Second they are preyed up
on by many other insects. Among these
are minute parusitical Insects resembling
~mud-daubers," but smaller than mos
quitoes. They lay Their eggs upon the
backs of the wheat lice and the eggs
hatch into grubs which eat the wheat
parasites. The extent to which these lit
tle insects aid the wheat grower is great
er than one would imagine. Another in
sect that is doing valiant work for the
former is the lace-winged fly, which even
in it's larva state destroys many wheat
Tfce. 1t catches them and sucks Their
blood.
Another co-worker is the lady bug or
lady bid as ii Is sometimes called. These
bugs do no harm to plant life and # the
number of wheat lice that they devour
was appreciated they would he very dear
to the heart OF every farmer. The old
Superstitous regard for these little red
Bugs may be accounted for when IL Is
learned what wonderful work they do.
The wheat lice are not jnvulnerable to
the efforts Of man, but It is a great task
10 get rid Of them. The louise can push
ais beak through a leaf covered with poi
S-Assaassns