The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1913-05-30
The Chinch-Bug in Mississippi
BY r. W. Harmed

cane, Bermuda grass and many other
grasses.
Hibernation.
These insects pass the winter in any
protected place that they can find.
Usually they are along ditch banks,
fence-rows, or wherever they can get
protection among the grasses. They
spread into the corn fields in the
spring.
Territory Affected.
The chinch-bug probably occurs in
all parts of the United States. In the
drier regions of the middle west it Is
serious pest. Occasionally 1t does
serious injury in other sections, espe-
cially during periods of drought. The
losses caused by the chinch-bug |
amount to many millions of dollars
annually. Probably because of our |
abundant rainfall in Mississippi, these
bugs are seldom serious. In May and |
June 1910, however, many complaints
of these pests were received from the |
delta and prairie sections of the state.
That was very dry spring following
dry fall which made ideal conditions
for the rapid increase Of this pest. =
Natural Control.
Nature usually keeps this pest I'M
der control in Mississippi. The young
chinch-bugs are very susceptible to
heavy rainfalls. and our numerous
rains generally hold them in check.
There is also fungous disease that
attacks and kills the chinch.bugs.
This disease spreads rapidly during
rainy seasons. These are the two
most important factors in the natural
control of the chinch-bug. There
ara also many predaceous insects that
eat the chinch-bugs. Birds are also
helpful in the control of this pest.
Among the most important of the bird
enemies of the chinch-bug are the
bobwhite, redwing blackbird, meadow
lark house wren, brown thrush, cat
bird, and the swallows. This Is just
one more reason why the birds should
be protected.
+. Control Methods.
In the first place no one should be-
come unauly alarmed because he finds
chinch-bugs present in his corn field.
They are probably always present in
small numbers and only occasionally
become numerous enough here to do
noticeable damage. No matter how
numerous the bugs may be, several
heavy rains will probably kill most of
them. During rainy seasons 1t is not
necessary to bother about this pest.
However during dry seasons it will
be well to be on the lookout for them.
Sometimes only a portion of field
may be infested. In such cases it. will
pay to spray with a weak kerosene
emulsion the plants in the infested
area in order to keep the bugs from
spreading to other fields. Sometimes
only few rows around the edges Of
the fields are infested. In such cases
it would pay well to spray the infested
r plants. ..M
! How To Prepare And Use The kero-
2 sene-Emuls1on.
>. Slice one-half pound of hard soap
3 in gallon of water; heat until it is
! boiling and all of the soap dissolved;
Y remove from fire and Immediately pour
: these boiling suds into two gallons of
t kerosene. Beat or churn this mixture
: until 1t is a creamy white emulsion.
+ To one part of this emulsion mix thor
!, oughly fifteen parts of water. This
s should be sprayed especially around
the roots and the lower parts Of the
a corn plants where the bugs are al
Il work. A hand sprayer or knapsaci
: sprayer can be used for this work
a 1t will be better to spray during thu
r early morning and late evening hour
]; or during moonlight nights as tn,
! emulsion win be less likely to injur
Ie the plants than II applied during tn
heat Of the day, Never spray unles