Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-05-02
Control Measures to
Combat Destruction,
by Wire,Dorn, Pest

True wireworms are reckoned by
specialists in the United States de-
partment Of agriculture as among the
five worst pests to corn and among
the twelve worst pests to wheat and
oats. They attack many other crops
as we'll, however, notably potatoes and
sugar beets, and are considered one of
the two most difficult groups Of in
sects to control. To combat them sue
cessfully 1t Is essential that the farmer
should be able to recognize the various
species and to distinguish them from
other insects Of somewhat similar APP
pearance: To assist him in doing SO
the department Of agriculture has
just published Farmers Bulletin 725,
'Wireworms Destructive to Cereal and
Forage Crops" by J. A. Hyslop.
Wireworms are the worm stage Of
several kinds of hard-shelled beetles,
popularity known as click beetles"
skipping jacks" Swapping Beetles"
etc. In various parts of the country
the name Is incorrectly applied to
thousand leggers, webworms and
other insects. The true wireworms,
tho different greatly in size according
to kind, are always elongate, more or
less cylindrical, and with highly
polished skin. They have three pairs
Of short legs near the head end Of the
body and are usually yellow or reddish
brown in color. Several of the most
destructive varieties are described in
the bulletin already mentioned. One
or more Of these are found in prac-
tically every part of the United States
and much of reseeding and replant-
ing that farmers have to do is made
necessary by their ravages. AS each
variety has its own habits, different
methods of control must be used for
the different groups. vi:
Wheat Wireworm Of Middle West.
This wireworTn Is pale yellow,
cylindrical and shiny. When full
grown 1t Is about one inch in length
and about as thick as the lead IN
pencil. 1t can be readily recognized
by the two dark spots near the base OF
the tail. Normally it feeds upon grass
roots and produces no disturbance IN
the meadows. When the sod is broken
for corn, however, the insects gather
in the drill rows or hills and destroy
the seed or eat off the roots OF the
plants which sprout/ In this way the
crop often is absolutely destroyed. It
happens frequently, however, that
during the first year the worms feed
upon the down-turned sod and do not
do their greatest harm to the culti-
waited crop until the second season
They require three years to turn into
beetles. In addition to wheat this
variety of wireworm feeds upon corn,
potato tubers, carrots turn1ps, anu
the underground stems Of string beans
cucumbers and cabbage. 3d.
To control the wheat wireworm lana
intended for corn should be pioweo
Immediately after the first cutting OF
hay, usually early in July. Thruout
the remainder of the summer this lana
should be cultivated. Badly infested
land in corn should be deeply cultiss.
waited even at the risk of slightly root
. pruning the corn AS soons as the
crop is removed the field should ne
yery thoroughly titled before sowing TO
wheat. Wheat fields that are not
seeded to other crops should pc
plowed as soon as the wheat IS
harvested. :, This kills the worms by
DESTROYING their food supply and pre-
venting proper Information. Where
circumstances permit, interposing Pc
tweer, sod and corn such crops as neio
meas and buckwheat, which are not
severely attacked by wireworms, Will
materially reduce the number OF
worms in the soil when corn IS
planted. ~, -, 800: s
cutworns in Mississippi Valley.
: Corn wireworms damage cereal and
forage crops in the Middle Atlantic
states. the New England States. ana
the Mississippi valley. They are
reddish brown in color, about one ana
one fourth inches long, cylindrical IN
shane. and have three slight 1obes or
nroiections on the tall. These insects
spend considerably longer time IN
the soil than the wheat wireworm. IN
some cases they have been known 70
live in the ground as long as Six years.
On the other hand, they are almost ex-
clusiyely confined to poorly drained
ana heavy soils. For this reason heavy
lining and thorough tile draining VIII
undoubtedly prove beneficial IN tnelr
control. The thoro cultivation OF
waste land, especially along drainage
ditches and creeks during mid SUM
mer and the deep cultivation OF crops
and fallow land are also recommended.
Meadow Worms Of North.
Meadow wireworms attack corn,
notatoes tomatoes, onions, cabbage,
radishes, turnips, horse-radish, SPIN
ach. sugar beets and alfaifa. IN the
northwest they are most destructive
on irrigated land and In the east on
no3rly drained areas. They look very
much like the dry land WireWornls'
hut can be easily distinguished from
other varieties by their forked ta ali IS