Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1908-06-19
The Hsssiaan Fly.

uuooly uAueiuodlu the surface OF the
ground where the roofs come OF. |
They are sometimes so tightly packet
In this situation that the adjacent
parts are flattened where they are
pressed together. 1t is usually the
central stalk that is worst infested.
while the tillers. many of which had
grown up after the flies had deposit.
ed their eggs, may be almost, or, in
most cases, quite free. With the CON
ing Of warm weather in the early
spring, the gnat-like flies crawl out
Of the flaxseeds and fly about, laying
their long oval eggs lengthwise in the
grooves upon the upper surface Of tn,
leaves. These eggs are Just large
enough to be seen with the unGfd.
ed eye, and soon give forth the min
ute reddish larvae that wriggle down
inside the leaf-sheath to feed and to
fattten on the Juice of the growing
plant, thus so weakening the stalk
that it will break and fall before mar
vest. As they grow the maggots lose
L
their reddish color and become pure
white. Most Of them reach maturity
and turn to brown seed-like flaxseed
before harvest. They work SO low
down in the wheat stalk that the har.
vester cuts the wheat OFF above them
leaving them undisturbed in the stub.
BILE. Here they remain until Septem.
Der or October, coming out later, or
earlier in the season as the weather
is dry or moist.
The flies coming from the stubble
lay their eggs on the early sown or
volunteer wheat, the maggots hatch
ing therefrom wriggle down inside
the leaf-sheath to feed, and becom-
ing full-grown, transform to flaxseeds
before cold weather comes on. While
this Is the case with most of the
larvae produced in the fall, some of
the eggs are laid so late that the re-
sulting maggots are unable to reach
maturity before time for cold wealth
er and perish or survive as the tenn
perature falls low or remains high.
The larvae by rasping and feeding
take the food which naturally belongs
to the plants and cause them to stop
growing or even to die.
In late fall the presence of the fly
Is indicated by the form of the stalk.
The plant infested by maggots has nc
strong central stalk but appears to
be leafy and bushy. The first effect
Of the fly is to make the wheat TIL |
Ter freely covering the ground and
giving the field deep green color,
thereby deceiying the inexperienced
into thinking the prospect for wheat
to be unusually fine. Later, If there
are enough Of the flies present the
deep green will be exchanged for a
yellow, sickly appearance, and it is
then evident to every one that some
thing is wrong.
Certain tiny, wasp-like insects prey
on the Hessian fly, and when they ar
present in large numbers, the fly
disappears as an injurious insect.
Not enough study has been given to
these parasites to enable anyone to
say under Just what conditions they
thrive and do their work.
At the present time there are no
efficient remedial measures known.
Once the fly is in your wheat nothiut
can be done to destroy it or even to
save the crop. except to apply broad.
cast some quick acting fertilizer con.
tanning Q large per cent of ph@.
phste, in the hope of enabling the,
crop to mature in spite of the ily.
ALL practical measures must be of Q
preventative nature, looking toward
the elimination Of the insect from the
young wheat in the fall and to in
creasing the Vigor of the plants. I'm.
der the first head comes the destruc.
ton Of the fly in the stubble, the
destruction Of volunteer wheat and
late sowing preceded by a trap crop.
The, faxseeds infesting the stubble
from harvest to fall can easily and
certainly b destroyed BY burning 1t
Oh, or by disking Immediately after
harvest and then blowing it under so 4
deeply in fAom two to four weeks |
that neither stubble or volunteer crop
will remain sticking above the srount
to form passage-way for the flies to
escape when they emerge from the
fia1sssde
4 volunteer wheat should always
ha ulAuraS