The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-08
Insects md Birds.

1t Is estimated that twelve pernicious
insects destroy in the United States
each year over 100000, 900 worth of
growing crops, says the editor of the
Epitomist. First in distructiveness
comes the chinch bug, next the grass
hopper, then the Hessian fly; these
three doing the bulk of damage-fol-
lowed in order by the ball worm ball
WeeVil, cotton worm, army worm, San
Jose scale, grain weevil, apple worm,
potato bugs, and last and least the
cabbage worm. The quail weevll,
apple worm, potato bugs, and last and
least the cabbage worm. The quail
seems to be the most persistent enemy
of the Chinch and potato bug, while
the robin, barn swallow and chickadee
are all very good bug hunters. Even
some kinds of hawks and owls are
found TO do more good than harm TO
the farmer in the long run; but its
wise man who really knows who his
enemies are, and a wiser one who
knows his own friends. AT any rate.
it is as important for the farmer to
protect his friends as it is to destroy
his enemies, and the following is a list
of the more common insects which at
tack and eat the injurious kinds, and
are thus of benefit. Ground beetles-
blackish or broWnish beetles from two
thirds of an inch to one inch in length,
rapid runners. found everywhere, UNI
der boards. logs, and such spots. All
have strong jaws well adapted to their
predatory habits. These beetles are the
terror of cut worms and destroy many
Goblin moth larvae each season. IT,
ger beetles: These beetles are gener-
ally marked on the back with greenish
or purple spots. They have strong
jaws, long legs, and are about the size
of the ground beetle, but not so COM
mon. Lady beetles; Very few chill
dren there are who do not know the
lady beetle or lady bug" and who
have not sung the familiar couplet,
4 Lady bug, lady bug. fly away home,
your house is on fire, your children
win burn" These bugs are small and
usually black, with two large red spots
on the back, but there are some kinds
that are brownish in color. The lady
bug does good work in the matter of
destroying and eating a great number
of plant lice. Syrphns flies: These
flies look very much like bees or
wasps, having yellow and black bands
across their backs. They have a way
of swarming and buzzing over plants
infested with plant lice, and they feed
in great numbers upon these lice. Lace
Wing Fly This bug is green with
gauzy wings and is about one-half
inch in length. This fly lays it's eggs
on lace-like threads spread out over
fruit or leaves, and. when the eggs
hatch, the young fly begins at once to
feast on nearby woody and green aphis.
Ant Lion: This is an ant that burrows
in the ground, having a funnel-shaped
pit leading into it's home, and into
which many injurious insects fall to
certain death This ant is about one
fourth inch in length and is dark
brown in color. There are a number
of parasites. many of them almost or
quite invisible to the naked eye, that
do great amount of good work for
the farmer by destroying other para
sites that do harm. But the insects
mentioned above are of the most con-
sequence. the best known, and they
should be remembered and spared by
the farmer and the orchardist.