The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1912-06-07
CATTLE HORN FLY
IS ANOTHER pest
Much Progress Made In Study Of
History and Remedy
For It
IMPORTED FROM EUROPE
some nineteen YEARS AGO
In Early Summer, A Little IntsIIl-
gent Diligence May Tend
To Prevent Coming Of
The Insects.

AGRICULTURAL ONiiCkcs WlsS JUNE D
-(Spacial) During the late sprin,
and early sumner 0f each year we re
ceive many inquiries for remediel
against the horn ny. During very
dry seusons this pest does not becoint
numerous but often after a week oI
two Of wet weather they are quite sc
rions. Few people know how to con
troll this pes. and still fewer knn~
anything In regard To It's life history,
The horn fly, like many nf our serious
pests, is an introduced Insect. H. Ii
nut u native ~ America and was I'M
knnwn ~ his country previous to
1887 IL has long been cattle pest
OF Europe.
In 1887. the flies we're tir-t noticed
in and around PHILADELPHIA, Pa, by
1891 they had reached Mississippi.
They have now hpen nineteen years
10 thus state and are probably to be
found wherever there are any cattle.
There are many exaggerated ideas Ia
regard to the injury caused by these
insects. They injure stock by irritat-
Ing and worrying them. This causes
a decrease in the milk flow, falling of
10 weight and general loss OF vitality.
Because people see the dies 10 I'm
mense numbers on tile horns OF cattle,
IL has been Thought that the horns
are injured by the maggots boring
through and entering the head OF the
animals. This Is not true for as long
as the flies are on the horns they are
not injurlng the animals.
LIFE HISTORY.
There are many false ideas as to
where the flies originate. This much
has been found out by numerous care
ful investigators. The eggs are laid
In fresh COW dung. They are depos.
tied within few minutes after the
dung Is dropped.
IL takes less than one day for the
eggs to hatch, and In about two weeks
from the time the eggs are deposited
the adult flies begin to emerge. The
eggs hatch into tiny maggots. These
magg0ts feed upon the manure until
they are about one half inch long and
then 90 into the ground TO pupate,
that IL to pass the Quieecent stage.
They remain about one week as mag.
gots and about one week 10 the ground
as pupae. They then come out as
full grown flies, ready to bother cat
tie. to mate, and to lay eggs for
another generation.
AS only two weeks are required to
complete a generation, 1t 10 easy to
see how thore can be as many asa
dozen generations each year 10 a eli
mate such as we have Ia this state.
THE REMEDIES.
Numerous remedies have been used
and recommended by people handling
cattle as well as by entnmulogists but
as ian ounce Of prevention Is worth .
pound OF cure" perhaps the most sat
Isfactory manner Of destroying the
Insects is to destroy the maggots In
the COW dung
The eggs are usually laid during the
hottest part Of the day and 1t Is at
This time that the cattle usually con-
yregate In some shady part OF the
pasture. A shovel full Of lime thrown
On the fresh dung is said to destroy
the maggots. This Is often not prac-
tical but in small pastures, or where
;attle are kept 10 lots 1t does not re-
luIre much labor.
Another even cheaper method Of
reaching the same result Is to spread |
he manure out in the hot sun at once
10 that II will dry out. This prevents
The maggots from maturing. These
'emedies are especially useful 10 the
,arly part OF the summer for by their |
Use, the number OF flies can be greatly
'educed so that in midsummer they |
will not be 90 numerous.
When the flies appear 10 large num-
,ers, the best method OF ombatting
hem is to apply repellants externally
% the animals. A repellant 10 some
ubstance that is so distasteful to the
lies that they will not come near 1t
ind at the same time IL must not be
INJURIOUS to the stock. Many sub
tapces have been used hut only two
II the most satisfactory ones will be
mentioned here.
(D A mixture OF two parts of crude
otton- seed oil and one part OF pine
ar. This should be applied to the
Inimals With large paint brush. 1t
an be done best at milking time, IL
larry cattle are to he treated. Fish
III may be used instead OF the cotton
sed oil. One application will last
bout i've days.
t2l Another preparation that 10 ap-
lied In the same manner as the tar
md oil 10 made az follows: One ounce
4 crude carbolic acid. Z ounce Of pen
Iyroysl, I pound Of sulphur. and one
alIon OF crude cotton-seed oil.
Move On MovwI