Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-07-17
SOMETHING ABOUT THE HEsslAN FLY.
V. Sanford, in
a recent issue OF
the K an s a s
Farmer, on the
Hessian Fly, it's
rava ge s, a nd
the best meth
DDS of destroy

'sHS w. ~ OOo VI OCcUi OJ
ing it, may be.of interest to our
readers.
One of the greatest insect enc
mics of the wheat crop is the
Hessian fly. It has been esti-
mated that at least 10 per cent
of the wheat crop is destroyed
on the average by this insect,
amounting to- an annual loss of
10000, 900 bushels. Its ravages
are periodical, however, as it
makes it's appearance in great
numbers certain years when it
perhaps destroys so per cent of
the crop while in other years it
does little or no damage.
The insect has two chief means
of distribution; the natural
means, or by fight, and the
artificial or by the carriage of
straw or other material contain
ing the pupa or ''fax Seeds" as
they are popularity called from
their resemblance to that seed.
The former method may occur
over limited areas where there
are continuous or slightly sepa-
rated paintings of wheat, rye, or
barly. 1t has been estimated
that the rate of distribution by
this means may be about twenty
miles per year. This l consider
rather high, as when they have
grain-felds near on which to de-
post their eggs, they rarely fly
far. The second method of dis
tribution will account for their
transportation to distant re-
gions. From this we see the i'm
portance Of destroying all straw
used for packing, especially in a
country not infested with the fly.
. The adult is a small, dark
'colored, gnat-like, two-winged
insect about .one-eighth of an
inch in length, resembling a
mosquito very much. The
adults are rarely observed; but
in case it is desired to see them,
some of the wheat containing
the pupa may be placed in a
glass cage where the adults may
be observed when they emerge.
The eggs are very small, slender
and OF pale red color, and are
deposited on the upper surface
of the leaves, in regular rows,
three to five in a row. Each
female produces from 100 to 80
eggs. The eggs hatch in about
four days. more or less, accord
ing to the weather. The larva
moves down the leaf and along
within the leaf-sheath until it is
near the base OF the stem, which
in the fall is very near the sur
face OF the ground. In the
spring the eggs are placed on
the leaves above the first or
second Joint, rarely higher.
When the larva reaches a suit
ablelocation, it embalms itself
Between the leaf-sheath and stem
where it feeds for about twenty
days, causing some distortion
of the stems, when it changes
to the pupa, or "faX-seed' state
and ceases to take food.
= The insect passes the winter
in the -''dax-seed"'s state and
energies as the adult of the
spring brood during April and
May. These adults lay their
eggs on the leaves and the larva
work on the straw near the first
and second Joints. From the
''fiax-seed" of this generation
emerge the adults. Of the fall
brood during the latter part of
August and fore-part of
September, the time varying
with weather conditions. These
adults lay their eggs on the
young wheat and the larva feed
upon it until they transform to
the pupa or ''fax- seed' state in
which condition they pass the
winter.
The natural enemies of the
Hessian fly are very important
factors in keeping this pest in
check. 1t has been estimated by
careful observers that fully nine
tenths of the Hessian flies are
destroyed by parasites. In 1888
there were bred from ], ,694 "fax-
seeds" SO more parasites than
flies. There are several different
species Of parasites of the Hes
sian fly.
We now come TO the most im-