Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-25
PUT BUGS TO WORK
Even Insects Are in Harness
These Economical Times.
A BRAINY SPECIMEN
CHINESE BEETLE IMPORTED TO
PROTECT OUR ORCHARDS.
a Fatal Mosquito and Housefiy Dis
ease Discovered-Its Pos
sibilities.
A BRAINY SPECIMEN
Copyright. 1904. by John Eirreth watkins)

Copyright. 1904. by John Elfreth wstkins)
'Pu- the bugs to work" says Uncle Sam.
Verify. this is an aga of economy! Moth
Ing is to go to waste, Lot even the potential
energy o. insect life The mites of the wood
and field are now to bn put in harness!
Foreign bugs are being imported for va
rious purposes. Some are being enlisted in
armies and directed against our enemies.
These foes to he set upon by such tiny
fighters are not human. to be sure 1t will
be war of bug against bug.
The Ilost brainy insect known to science.
via. the ant is the lstest conscript The
news dispatches have told how in Guate-
maIa MIR o. F. Cook. a botanist Of the
governments plant industry bureau. re-
Gently discovered a large. reddish-brown
ant which fosters an enmity instructive
and savage, for that beetle known as the
boil wreviI which IS causing such dire
havoc in our cotton fields
A 'rcll wenvil labora Tory" has been es-
tsbisned at Victoria, Tex. the focus Of
the cotton beetles ra-'ages. by DIR. l.. o.
Howard chief cntomoioglst Of the Depart
ment of Agriculture. Queens Of the newly
discovered cotton ant are. together with a
number of workers. being sent to this work
shop. Permanent CoiorIes are to be estab-
llshei in the experimental cotton field adj
Joining
Insect Battle Planned.
The first battle American soil between
the ant and beetle armies will be waged
ut Victoria. where. during the conflict. in
terested entomologists will be posted about
the field as war observers. If the ant forces
win this test struggle their victory will be
an event Of good augury for our cotton
planters whose tribute to this insect was
so 900 600 last wear
On the eve Of this momentOus struggle
il IL imnortant to consider the opponents
and THAR equipment. The imported ant
soldier is known as the "kelep.' This
name has been applied To him by the In
dams of Guatemala. who speak Of him also
"tha animal OF the cotton" But in
spite of his long association with the cot
ton plant. these Indians do not know that
the kelep has for many years saved their
cotton crons from the destructive weevil
IN fact. tlev do not know that the weevIl
itself is enemy of cotton. In sea
sons when the helpful ant has been scarce
and the beetle has been left to do its work
unmo'ested these SuperStitiOus people have
attributed their scarcity of cotton to the
failure of the grower to abstain from eat
ing salt at planting time.
The kcleD eNCavateS a nest three feet
more into the ground He is hardy in
sect Experiments already made show that
he will survive confinement for twelve days
without food Although he is a giant I'm
He has none OF the waSpish i'll temper Of
many Of the singing and biting ants OF
his troniCal cline. He does not the least
iuiura cotton or any other plant. far
rs has been observed He drinks the nectar
sncreted hv the cotton leaf. but does not
trouble the fossy boil But this sweet
food Is simply an incident to his diet He
is n much more efficient destroyer of nox-
ious insects than Is the spider or the toad
But upon the harmless insects inhabitinS
the cotton plant he looks with Indifference
when the weevil Is present
The Enemy of Cotton.
This h"etle is about three-eighths of an
inch long. over all and il about three
times "a long wide. He Is usually of
gray or yellowish brown and has the hard
shell Of other beetles His head fits into
his neck with a ball and socket Joint and is
capable OF wide angle OF rotation He
il equipped with long. hard snout used
lever for prylng into the growing cot
ton bOlls- AT the end is of sharp
teeth and the rotation OF his head can give
10 this long proboscis an auger-lke mo-
tion. He eats with a combina ton OF boring
prying and Chiseling motions.
The big cotton ants Jaws open sidewise.
like pair Of ntppers They are large
enough to grasp the weevll about the mid
die This is his first move and while so
doing he prys apart the joint between the
hard-shelled beetles abdomen and thorax
Then the bloodthirsty kelep bends his own
a StlnRpr
al his tail into the unprotected point where
he has opened the beetles armor The
poison Of the sting takes immediate effect
The beetle ceases to struggle and while his
legs are feebly twltching he is carried away
in the jaws OF his captor.
Large colonies OF keleps will be distrib-
uted throughout the entire cotton belt as
soon the experiments at the Victoria lab
pratory shall have proven that these Guate-
malan ants will thrive In the climate OF
Texas This they probably will They
promise to become valued assistants in
American agriculture.
Bug Incubators.
The Victoria laboratory Is one-story
frame structure situated In the midst of
cotton fields. II is in charge OF Field Agent
w. ID. Hunter of DR. Towards staff OF en-
tomologists. In this building and the ad-
jacent experimental cotton field are en-
ployed many devices for experiment upon
the boll-weevil Distributed about the field
wire cages used to confine the destruct-
I've beetles to selected cotton plants during
The experiments. Inside the laboratory
apparatus OR breeding weevils indoors.
These consist OF earthen dishes. containing
the contaminated cotton bolls. and su.-
mounting bell jars whose upper openings
are covered with cloth. admitting air
Other laboratory equipment includes MI
Croscopes for observing insects I'm all stages
OF growth. delicate scales for weighing
:hem and trays for storing them. Upon
Mr.. Hunters desk Is a motto. do ID now"
And he Is obeyinE H.
Oriental Orchard Protector.
Another foreigner lately imported by
Uncle Sam TO do good work In agriculture