The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-05-18
The Green Bug or. Southern Grain
Louise.

At this writing this insect is caus-
ing much alarm among the farmers
of the State.
The reason for tbs heavy outbreak
is due principally at least to the warm
weather Of February. In normal
seasons this pest Is kept well under
control by it's enemies, the most i'm
portant of these being parasitic
wasp. The work Of this wasp is in
evidence in nearly every green bug
infested field. When examining in
tested oats or wheat, small spherical
stationary pimples of a brown or
blackish color are present. These rep
resent lice that were killed by the
parasitic wasp. This wasp has a
very efficient arrangement for laying
it's eggs.
1t penetrates the body of the green
bug with it's egg guide and lays the
egg therein. This egg matches into
small white grub which consumes
the inside of the green bug, thus kill
ing it. The wasp continues to util-
ize the dead body as a pupa case in
which the third stage of its life his
tory is passed. When full grown it
perforates the wall of this dead dried
up bug and escapes into the open.
It is during abnormal weather
conditions when the parasite loses
control of the green bug. It is ex-
planned as follows: The green bug
breeds in a temperature ranging
from 33 F to 80 F. The parasite is,
however, hot weather bug and
goes into the dormant or hiberna-
ton stage at about 60 F. 1t was the
warm weather of February that en-
abled the green bug to reproduce rap
idly,j but the weather was not warm
enough for the. parasite to become
very active. During this period of
freedom the green bug gained ad-
vantage. The average life of the
individual green bug is about sc
days and during this period the aver
age production of offsprings is about
60. They give birth to living
young and these mature in seven
days and begin to reproduce by giving
birth to living young. When the food
supply becames scarce in a given
field, they greatly increase the num-
Der OF winged forms which migrate to
other grain fields.
Summarizing all the experimental
work of the past with view of con-
trolling this pest the following rec
concentrations, while not satisfactory
to us, are the most practical and ef-
fective. .".
1. When the infestation is first
noticed in the winter, during or after
a warm spell, run weeder over the
oats both ways. This may have to
be repeated, depending on weather
conditions.
2. When the infestation has be-
come very serious, light brush tied
together and drawn over the grain
dislodges and destroys many of the
green bugs.
8. 1t is recommended that fields
badly damaged at present, consider
ing weather conditions, be plowed
and planted to another crop.
4. Where damage is light at this
time in a given field in addition to
the above recommendations, we be-
lieve that stimulation with soda
would save the crop.
5. If the land is very level, roll
ing with heavy roller is profitable:
The above recommendations, with
the exception of No. 5, are intended
for grain that has not yet matted.
Those measures are not profitable on
matted grain and the only thing to
do in that case is to Craze it with
cattle. The trampling, as well as the
grazing, are destructive to the green
bug.
This subject is under investiga-
ton with the hope that something
more effective will develop.