Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1913-09-06


mate and deposit the eggs. These
are planted inside the stems OF al
falfa, through punctures made by the
beak. Usually from to IA eggs are
inserted In each picture, and the
opening sealed with watery secre-
ton to protect the eggs from injury.
The eggs are deposited from April
until June, perhaps the most being
deposited during the month OF May.
Each beetle deposits between 700
and 800 eggs during the season. The
females used in experiments during
the spring Of 1912, was 726.
The eggs hatch in from s to Is days
depending upon the temperature, and
the young larvae which are small
green worms with black heads, en-
erge from the stems and travel to the
young leaves at the tip Of the plant,
and here feed unobserved between
the unfolding leaves. After becoming
about half-grown, the worms are
found feeding upon the older leaves,
travelling from one tip to the other
and eating holes in them. When
the worms are very numerous, they
may so injure the foliage as to
stop the growth of the hay entirely,
This occurs in June in fields having
an altitude OF about $500 it.. and
during July in fields having an alti-
tude Of from 5000 to 5000 feet.
After the first cutting is removed
from the field, the worms devoUr
the new leaves as fast as they
form, and will even feed upon
the green stubble in an effort to
secure enough food to bring them
to maturity. For this reason. in the
infested territory, fields often remain
brown after the hay is removed, and
the second crop will not start until
the majority of the worms transform
to beetles. This often delays the Sec
ond crop from to s weeks, afte'
which the hay is no longer injured,
the beetles feeding very little du.
ring late summer and autumn. Ow-
ing to the second crop being delay
ed by the worms, the farmer Is Of
ten deprived of a third cutting, and
in high attitudes the second crop will
be cut short by frost.
The full grown larva or worm Is
about Y inch long, having a number
of transverse burrows across the
body, and pale white stripe run
ming lengthwise down the back. AT
ter becoming full grown they crawl
to the ground and spin around their
body white, silken cocoon OF
threads, usually attaching this to
some dead leaves or perhaps to the
side of the stem near the ground.
About So hours after spinning the
cocoon, the worm hangs to the pupa
or resting stage, and about 10 days
after, and during July, energies as
an adult beetle-the alfalfa weevil.
The newly emerged beetle remains
concealed on the ground and about
the crowns of the plants for few
days, then climbs to the topmost
leaf or stem, spreads its wings and
flies into the air to be carried by
the wind. The summer flight occurs
in July in the Salt Lake Basin, and
in August in the higher attitudes OF
mountain valleys. 1t is at this season
that the beetles are scattered into
uninfected territory depending upon
the velocity and direction Of the
wind at the time the beetles are fly
ing.
Alfalfa Is the main food plant for
the weevil in this country although
it is sometimes found feeding on
sweet clover, burr-clover, vetches
and several wild legumes. 1t feeds
upon the leaves and sometimes the
stems, but never upon or in the
seed.
Wild hay, timothy, grasses and
grain crops are not subject to at
tack.
Summer Cultivation: Cultivation
and brush dragging the fields after
the removal Of the first crop is the
most effective remedy known. This
should be done while the ground 10
dry. and preferably with spring
tooth harrows. followed by a bush
made by attaching the butts OF green
hawthorne between two planks or
weaving them into harrow. The
brush cuts through the alfalfa Stub
BILE and crushes many OF the larvae
and pupae, while others are buried
In the hot duse. This must be done
promptly after the removal OF the
hay, as they are very difficult to
kill after they transform to beetles.
Clean culture: Fence rows. ditch