Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1908-07-24
Hessian Fly.

Hessian Fly.
During the past year Kansas wheat
has suffered great damage from the
Hessian fly. Some estimates place
the total loss at slightly more than
ten per cent Of the estimated crop,
as based upon the acreage sown. The
attack has been most severe in CEN
trail and southern Kansas, but, with
the exception Of the extreme north
and the extreme west, the fly has at
tracted attention throughout the en-.
tire wheat belt.
When we realize that the habits Of
this insect are such that the use Of
proper cultural methods at the right
time will largely prevent 1t from caus-
ing noticeable damage, it is plain that
information Of this sort should be in
the hands Of every man who has re-
Gently suffered from Its ravages.
y Habits and Life History.
Where The Fly Is Now:-Just now
the flies may be found as small brown
long-oval, seed.like objects about one
fifth Of an inch long, lying between
the sheath and the straw just above
the joint, where the straw breaks
over, or they may be found packed in
with many Of their fellows about the
wheat heads which never emerged
from their sheaths.
Indications OF Its Work:-At this
time perhaps the most characteristic
evidence of fly appears in the broken
down wheat straws. These stalks are
usually broken rather close to the
ground.
What 1t Will Do This Summer, Fall
and Winter With a few exceptions
the fly will remain as a quiet brown
flax-seed until next September and o.
tober, then the long-legged gnat-like
adults will emerge and lay their long
oval reddish eggs lengthwise in the
grooves on the upper sides of the
leaves of the volunteer or early-sown
wheat plants. These eggs, which are
just large enough to be seen with
the un-aided eye, soon give forth tiny
reddish larvae that wriggle down in
side the leaf-sheath until they reach
the joint. Here they rasp the tissues
of the stem, feed and grow. 1t II
usually the central stalk that is the
worst infected, while the tillers, man,
of which grow up after the flies hav,
deposited their eggs, will be almost
or entirely free. The maggots sooI
lose their reddish color and turns
white, the majority reaching maturit.
and Transforming into brown flaxseei
before. cold weather. Thus they pas
the winter, safely tucked in between
the sheath and the main stem jus
above the joint, and usually below
the surface of the ground.
Indication of Fall Work:-In tn
late fall the presence of the fly is in
dictated by the form Of the plant. Tn
stalk infested with maggots has n
strong central shoot but appears leaf
/, and bushy. The first effect Of tn
fly Is to make the wheat tiller fret
ly, covering the ground and givin
, the field a deep green color, thereb
deceiving the inexperienced into thin
ing the prospects FOR wheat unusua
ly fine. Later, II enough flies be pr
!. ent,. the deep green win be exchant
ed for a sickly yellow appearance an
4 It is then evident to everyone ths
something is wrong.
What It win Do Next Spring an
Summer:-with the coming Of sprin
the long-legged, gnatlikes flies win
crawl out Of the flaxseeds and n
4 about over the wheat, depositing egl
+ on the blades. On the spring Of 1st
o the flies came forth in March an
d collected in some wheat fields In 81
y lficient numbers to redden the soil
t From the eggs laid at this time vi
: come the maggots that feed on Il
l. wheat weakening the stems and eau
I ing them to break and fall over b
p fore harvest. Some Of these msggo
'slviIl reach maturity and turn into Il