Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-07-24
REMEDIAL MEASURES RECON-
MENDED FOR THE wheat PEST
InconspcuOus Insect That Causes Annual Loss of Thou
sands of Bushels of Wheat Held in Control by
Destruction of Breeding Places Etc.

Washington, July 23.-The little in
sect that causes an annual loss in this
country of thousands of bushels of
wheat and known as the "oat aphis,'
can scarcely be controlled when once
il has gained Roadway. BY proper
precautions, however, serious out
breaks can bo prevented. This insect
often escapes notice but it is probably
the most widely distributed of the i'm
rortant plant-lice which attack wheat
and oats, end it's depredations are only
exeelled by the se-ealled green bug
How the oat aphis may be combated
by a destruction of its breeding places,
by cultural methods, and by spraying
is outlined in bulletin (No. 1922 short
~ to be issued by the u. S. Depart
n4ent of Agriculture.
AS the oat aphis does not ordinarily
appear suddenly in great swarms as
does the green bug it has never been
considered a pest of great Importance
1t is easily overlooked by the casual
observer, especially in the fall when 1t
occurs at the base of the plants and
on the roots. However, it is usually
always present on the wheat and OBJ
servations lead investigators to con-
slider that these parasites weaken the
plants and decrease the yield to an i'm
portant extent, even though they may
not be conspicuous, and the decrease
in yield not enough to be recognizable
as in the case of the green bug"
Pictures OF the pest and detailed
description of its appearance are
found in the new bulletin. The adult
wingless insect is about the size of a
pin head and is yellowish green to
olive green in color. The winged in
sect has A black head, the abdomen
being green and the antennae black
The eggs are laid in erevices of the
bark or between the leaf bud and twig
OF the apple and when first deposited
are pale greenish in color They soon
change, however to a shining black
and retain this color until they hatch
in the spring.
Life History of the Insect
The oat aphis occurs on grains and
grasses throughout the summer. The
eggs are laid but once a year. in the
fall In the spring the eggs hatch
16 or more generations produced, all
females. The last generation in the
fall contains both males and females
AS the weather becomes cooler some
of the females seek the lower parts or
roots of wheat and other plants of the
grass family and here pass the winter
or the winged insects coming from the
grain may seek such trees as the apple
the egg-laying females of this genera
ton in turn depositing eggs on the
twigs and branches.
Mild winters and cool springs seem
most conducive to the increase of this
pest. The oat aphis multiplies rapid
ly when the temperature varies be-
tween 40 degrees and Sc degrees
Fahrenheit.
Destroy Breeding Place of Dat Aphis
The little wheat pest thrives best in
rank growing grain as in spots where
manure piles or straw stacks have
stood. These places are usually the
center of iiifestation and the lice may
be found there even during the win
ter. Therefore the volunteer growth
OF wheat that occurs in the vicinity of
Sli q W SloChS VI IildtiuLt piiSS SlIouIu bN
plowed under or otherwise destroyed
late in the fall in order to destroy the
plant-lice breeding thereon. In some
cases it may be desirable to destroy
this vegetation even earlier: that is
before the winter wheat is planted or
at least before it makes any growth
above ground.
The pasturing of cattle in wheat and
cat fields IL Oklahoma and Texas dur
ing the late fall or early winter has
proved q desirable method of destroy
ing the breeding places of the pest.
Cultural Methods.
AS in the case of many other grain
pests, crop rotation is of much inn
portance IN the control of this aphis
Wheat fields should be located as far
from the Irevious years grain fields as
possible, and especially should they be
planted some distance from standing
straw stacks. It is also advisable to
plant grain as far as possible from
apple and other trees. which harbor
the insect during the fall, winter and
spring months.
Spraying.
Direct applications are hardly
practicable in grain fields. but where
only small areas are badly infested
spraying with blackleaf-40 at the rate
of l part of this insecticide to 900
parts of water, plus l pound of soap to
each 100 gallons of spray liquid, will
doubtless prove efficaeious, providing
the application is thorough.
Another method which might be
adopted in localities where the aphides
freely migrate and deposit eggs on
apple, Is spraying such trees early in
spring before the eggs hatch. prefer
ably just previous TO their Matching
and while the trees are yet in a dor
Elant condition, with commercial lime
sulphur mixture at the rate of part
of the mixture to parts of water
The above remedial and preventive
measures for this destructive parasite