The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1916-01-28
" " Y " " " " " v y v Y v " y " " .
GREEN BUG APPEARS.

Southwestern Grainfieids Infested.
Serious Spread May Follow.
Prepared by United States department of
agriculture
The spring grain aphis, popularity
known as the green bug, has appeared
In grainfelds in Tennessee. Kansas,
Texas, Oklahoma and in northeastern
New Mexico, and it is probable that it
is also in southern Missouri and Arkan-
sas. The danger Of this pest doing
serious damage in the spring depends
to great extent upon the weather be-
tween now and the middle of April. II
the temperature during this period is
sufficiently high to. enable the green
bug to breed throughout the winter
and at the same time sufficiently low
to prevent its princiSal natural enemy
"a minute black, four winged fly
from developing. a serious visitation
over large areas may be expected. -:
In all the states where the green bug
has made its appearance grain grow
ers should watch their fields carefully.
If any spots appear where the grain
changes from green to. yellow in color
these should be plowed under as deep
ly as possible and the ground narrowed
and rolled. 1t is from spots of this
character that the green bug spreads
over the remainder of the fields If
straw can be spared for the purpose, it
may be spread over the infected patch
es and burned. This destroys the pest
as effectively as the blowing under of
the ground. &c.. . =
Ordinarily the green bug is kept in
check by the minute fly already men
toned This parasite lays it's eggs in
the body of the green bug, and the
young, Matching from the eggs within
the body, ultimately cause the death of
the bug. These parasites are found in
a considerable number of insects which
are closely related to the green bug.
Under favorable temperature condi-
tons they will probably increase until
their numbers are sufficient to over
come any material increase in the num-
bers Of the green bug. They are not,
however, able to withstand as severe
weather as the green bug itself. and 1t
is important. therefore. that the farm
ers in the regions likely to be affected
| by the. latter take the necessary steps
Immediately for their own protection.
The first sign of an approaching out
break is the appearance in grainfields
of spots which are usually circular in
area and in which the color Of the
wheat changes. AS the insects spread
over the field these spots become
larger. In many cases the areas first
| affected have been found to coincide
| with the location of the shocks of grain
from which the kernels have fallen to
the ground and produced volunteer
plants Volunteer grain. therefore,
either wheat or oats, may be regarded
as constituting the initial breeding
grounds of the green bug. If this vol
unteer growth could be pastured off in
late fall or early winter much of the
danger from the pest would be elimi.
mated.
An added reason for destroying the
volunteer wheat is the fact that the
Hessian fly, as well as the green bug,
winters among these plants. By de-
stroying volunteer wheat in areas in
tested with the Hessian fly and the
green bug the farmer will be killing
enormous numbers of the two insects
at the same time.