The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1916-08-19
THE HORRIBLY A DANGER
GUS PEST.
Irritating to Cattle, and Found to Dc
a Charlton carrier-Destroy the
Eco or Larval Stage.

The horn-hy was imported from Eu'
rope. and since its arrival In 1885, IL
has spread all over the country
Entomologists. or those who make
a study of insect lie, WING
they may recommend some meas
ures to destroy the mature III
sects. usually try to find out now ana
uhara they breed and direct their Ell
forts at killing them in the immaturo
stages and SO prevent their deveiop-
ment. In fact, 1t IL Questionaoie
whether it is possible, by simply oe-
stroying adults, to keep pace WIN
their multiplication. On the otner
hand. If these insects should De DE-
etroyed in the egg and larval, or sruD
stages. a material reduction in their
numbers might be brought about. even
If the adult flies themselves should De
left alone. The important question
therefore Is, where do these horn-hles
breed? According to the best au-
thorities, this fly lays its eggs smsiy'
and usually upon their sides, on the
surfaee of wet cow manure. So far
as is known, they are laid upon NO
other substance, and never upon OLD
dronnings. The moment the manure
is dropped, a swarm of flies dart from
the animal to the manure and remain
there a few seconds, or a minute Al
the most, during which time many
erss are deposited. Egg laying ID
chiefly during daylight and most
abundant during the warmer morning
hours. After the larvae. or grubs'
hatch. they descend into the manure
although remaining near the surface
The pupa, or dormant stage OF the
insect. u found in the ground un
dernsath the droppings. The time
which elapses from the egg to the
adult stage, or fly, is from about ter
to seventeen days.
The fresh COW droppings, then, are
the places on which these flies lay
their eggs, and where the differen
stages of the insect develop until th'
full-Aedeed insect energies. The mos
practical method of control, therefore
would be the direct treatment OF tn
, manure to destroy the grubs and pu
nae. and 80 limit the number OF fie
coming to maturity; and one OF tn
best agents to apply to the fresh droI
ninss is lime. This may be quit
practical around buildings and yard
occupied by cattle, but somewhat in
practical out in the open fields an
ranges. although it might be possibl
i 10 carry out this method even unde
such conditions, if the manure aroun
o the places where cattle are in th
II habit of congregating, under shad
# trees, and the like. At best,
r is a trouble, but it is not possibl
J. TO secure results without some tro1
d BILE, and If we ever expect to redue
A the numbers of these pestiferous il
, sects. we will have to get after the
" breeding places and destroy the
there.
The arsenical solution used in tt
dipping watts destroys large numbe
of these flies, and there are nuI
Der of sprays used to repel the
10 from the animal, such as fish al
p coal oil emulsions, the various rep'
lants on the market, etc. Howeve
hone of these will effectually era'
is cate the horn-fly, while combinati'
10 Of both measures would no doubt 81
he most satisfactory results. In q
iition to it's irritating effect ON Ct
~ lie, the horn-f1y has been found to
H. 4, carrier of Charlton infection.
W. H. Dalrymple,