The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-11-25
1ssrRor-fxyEeTs:'
r.JbfLsf-iF 49, + - {
o Wcyils and Other Destructive
Feseet Eaten by Many OF the 400

~" s'Se Unu OtIcr obstructive
Pests, Eaten by Many of the 400
Birds
Washington. d. Cat least sc spe-
cies OF birds found in the Southeast
tern United States are of service in
destroylngs Me cotton boil weevil, &C.
cording u sornithologists of the U. 8.
Departmeat OF Agriculture. A much
larger, 1usnDer, of the $50 different
species found in the Southeast also
render. fiiportant service to agricul-
ture by FEEDING on various insects
which Att4nk field crops. garden
truck. sotrse plants and fruit
throughout 1.-THE region. These facts
have besn determined by extensive
field andsiaboratory studies. made by
the biolpeleal survey, the result of
which. have just been published by
the department of agriculture as
Farmers Bulletin 755. Common
Birds of southeastern United States
III ANeiuStUshHt 10 agriculture.
The most active of the &C feath-
cred enenffes OF the boil weevil, it
was FOUND are the orioles. which are
among the few birds actually taking
the insects from the squares of the
cotton vlaht. and the swallows,
which feed on the weevil while the
latter are "a. flight seeking to extend
their range In. winter the most efi-
cient enarnics of the boil weevils are
blackbirda. meadowlarks, titlarks
and Carolina wrens. The cotton
worm y eptsn by Al species of birds,
Of which the cuckoos are the most
effective. These birds frequently con-
sumo from 400 to $50 of the worms
at a meal Twelve Southern birds
attacks the bolt worm and z feed on
the cettonrnatworm.
Whites Sruns. which are a serious
pest mot only to corn. but to straw
berriesg .s9rden crops and grasses
are eaten BY 81 species of southeas-
tern BIRDS Wire worms and their
adult forms. click beetles another
pest Of acOs1A, are consumed by 1928
kindss6 f birds. while IS species feed
on bill euss. which also attack corn.
Cut WORMS which often occur in the
Southeast In summer and fall and at
tack practically all vegetation, are
catsn:fya 81 species, OF birds.
Chfn6h- bugs; which are extreme
ly Hdestrucstve to corn and wheat and
which sarssSapposed to have but few
natural; enemies. the biological sur
vey 2fShndsssare eaten by "a species
Of birds. Of-the other insects attack
ing corn N5he Southern corn root
worm: or s1aotted cucumber beetle is
eaten by ~ birds. and the brown
fs1-1s1afAaaGu
eater. mich feeds as wen on other
frnit, - destroyed by IL species OF
birds. thescrow leading in efficiency.
OF the insect pests feeding on
forage crops, practically all kinds are
eaten by some group Of Southeastern
birds. Ono Of the most important of
these pests, leafhoppers. are consum-
ed by 100 different kinds Of feathered
enemies in the Southeastern States
and a score or more species of birds
feed on; tho Various kinds of clover
weevjls.
There are many bird enemies of
truck crop pests also in the South
east. From 10 to 3s species Of birds
wee found to eat each Of the follow
ing: Flea beetles. sweet potato flea
h~eetles. grapevine leaf beetles. grape
flea beetles. bean leaf beetles, rice
weeviis. Colorado potato beetles, and
tho 17-year locusts. The survey dis
closed that - species of Southeastern
birds feed on horse flies, which while
they do not attack plants are ex-
ceedingly annoying to both humans
and animals and even transmit some
forms Of disease.
The biolOeical specialists who made