The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-04-27
lis THE REAL LI)ISE
State University Has Thor
oughIy Identified Him.
is THE GENUINE APHIS
Fine Weather VIII Make Him
Look Like Thirty Cents,

Lawrence. Kan. April 2s-The pest
which has appeared during the last week
in the wheat in Oklahoma and southern
Kansas is without doubt the wheat louise
or grain aphis. Professor J. Hunter of
the chronological department of the
University Of Kansas received this morn
ing from c. S. Morris Of Guthrie, o. T.,
| a box Of green bugs taken from the
wheat Examination proved them to be
| the true grain aphIs, the same insect that
! was present last June in large numbers
! in the wheat fields Of Kansas, Oklah0-
ma and Missouri, and died before work
ing any serious damage.
What VIII be the fate OF the wheat
! louise this year, whether it viii be killed
/ off before affecting the wheat crop, Pro
/ fessor Munter at present feels = hest
fancy in saying. for the reason that the
appearance Of the aphis in such numbers
at this time Of the year is unusual II
is as a rule. six weeks later before the
aphis attains to such numbers as tc be
noticeable. The appearance OF the in
sect so early in the spring is due prob
ably to the long stretch Of wet cold
weather during the early part Of the
spring, which, while it has been endured
by the wheat louise, has proved unfav-
orable TO the development Of the para
sites to whom the yearly suppression of
the grain aphis is due In all probable
ity, however, this years pest viii go the
way OF all the wheat aphis, and before
working and serious damage upon the
wheat will succumb to it's parasitic enc
mics.
About the first OF last June the wheat
aphis appeared In large numbers in the
fields in Kansas and Oklahoma and some
places in Missouri. Their presence caused
a great uneasiness among the farmers,
who thought they detected in the wheat
louise a pest which was to rival the
chinch bug, but in a fortnight the bug
had disappeared almost as quickly as it
came, leaving behind little trace Of dam
age.
Last night Professor Hunter was
shown the dispatch to the Star from
Guthrie, and gave it as his opinion that
the tiny black flies which were supposed
by the farmers IN that region to be forms
Of the aphis that had developed from the
green louise, were in reality the parasitic
bees which have come out OF the dead
bodies or shells spoken of. These bees
cleaned out the lice last year.
The fine weather which has been prom
ised for the next few weeks viii enable
the parasites to regain the supremacy
over the aphis, lost dalring the cold spell,
and unless something very unusual hap
pens. the wheat lice win be put under
control again before many days.
The wheat lice are very susceptible
TO the changes of temperature. Cold rain
viii numb theb TO death and a hard rain
viii wash them OF of their food plants
in great numbers. The wheat louise
does not breath thriugh it mouth, but
through its pores. and a spray made of
soap. kerosene and water VIII stop its
breathing apparatus and kill the bug.
While this spraying IS all right for a
pansy bed infested with the aphis, it
would never pay on a quarter section of
wheat An that keeps the lice in check
is its insect enemies. the parasites
THE yearly appearance of the wheat
louise and It's annual suppression by the
lady beetle and the laced winged para
site bees are typical examples of the war
that is continually being waged in the
insect world between the pests and their
parasites There is no practical mode
of fighting the wheat louise by sprays or
by mechanical means. but where man can
accomplish nothing the insect enemies of
the lice step in and 60 the work. The
wheat lice are preyed upon by three
classes OF parasites The parasitic lee,
tiny fly, smaller than a mos tuito
stings the wheat aphis and LAYS an osg
in its body. From the egg deveiopes a
grub which grows to maturity inside Of
the louse's body, entirely consuming the
LIQUID contents and leaving II only a
dry shell, which serves the pupa of the
parasite as a cocoon. When mature.
the perfect insect. small. four winged.
dark bodied ay. eats it's way out OF the
nest through hole in the back, al
though in some cases so small as Ito of
an inch in length. these parasitic bees
are frequently the most important factor
in reducing the number Of the prolific
wheat lice. The lace winged ny catches
the lice and sucks their blood. while the
lady bird beetles. or "Iadv-bugs' devour
great number of the aphis. These in
sects. fnconspicuous as they are. destroy
countless numbers of the lice"