The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-07-31
Campaign Against
The Army Worm

Gainesville, Fla, July 30.-That a
calamity, involving the destruction OF
nearly all crops in several counties
on the East Coast and in parts o.
southwestern Florida has been mar
rowly averted is the opinion Of Will
mon Newell, plant commissioner, who
today issued the following bulletin:
During the past two weeks the
semi'tropical army worm has done
severe damage to various cultivated
fcrops at points on the East Coast
south Of Daytona, castor beans, pea
nuts, sweet potatoes, cotton and vef-
vet beans being attacked. The same
pest has made its appearance in Hills
borough and Polk counties.
GAIL the energies of the State Plant
Board force of nearly two hundred
inspectors, assisted by various U. s.
Department Of Agriculture employees
have been devoted during the week
past to an intensive campaign against
this pest in the affected districts.
Inspections have been made of
fields and the owners advised and as
sisted in checking the pests by means
CT poisons and mechanical means So
serious has been the situation that
various men working for the Depart
ment Of Agriculture have beer tenn
rorarily instructed to drop their reg
ular lines of work and assist in the
army worm campaign. Severa, gov
ernment men from the Bureau Of En-
tomology laboratory at Ocean Springs.
Mississippi, have also been sent to
Florida to aid.
Pest Not a New One
THE semi-tropical army worm is
not an introduced pest, but has oc-
Cured In small numbers in Florida
for many years II Is native to Flor
Ida. Cuba and the West indies, but
under normal ciondtions is kept under
control by parasites and diseases
There were, therefore, no measures
which could have been taken by fed
eral or State authorities 70 prevent
F., the present outbreaks.
Warming
I'm former years it has been noted
by entomologists Of the Bureau of En-
tomology that the moths, which lay
the eggs producing these army worms
move gradually northward as the sea-
son advances. Indications that this Is
actually taking place now are not
lacking. The insects first appeared
in considerable numbers at vero about
three weeks ago and are Just now
making their first appearance IN tile
neighborhood of Titusville, New
Smyrna and DeLand. Farmers in S..
Johns and Nassau counties should be
on the watch for them as should also
the farmers In Osceola, Lake, Pinellas
and other central and north Florida
counties. Early action is necessary
to prevent loss of crops, for, II the
farmer waits until he sees the leaves
stripped from his plants the worms
will by that time have reached such
voraciousness that they will be able
to complete the destruction of his
crop within two or three days more.
Following is description Of the
larvae or worm stage Of the pest and
this is the stage that should be looked
for:
"The larva or worm IS dark gray
ish to black in general color. Along
the center of the back runs very
marrow yellow stripe. mos or less in
terrupted at each segment Of the
body. On each side of this Is another
stripe, slightly wider, also yellowish.
Along the side Of the larvae runs a
still wider, bright yellow, stripe.
This stripe is located at the lower
margin Of the dark or black upper
half Of the body and is just below
the breathing pores4 The latter APP
pear as black specks in a single line
along the edge of the body. The low
err surface of the worm is very light
yellowish green.
Farmers finding worms in their
crops which correspond to the above
description should lose no time in
sending specimens to the Plant Com
missioner at Gainesville for identified
ton accompanying them by state
ment as to relative abundance Of the
insects. Where situation iustiies 1t,
Plant Board inspectors will be sent
to render local assistance. although
from the magnitude of the area infest-
ed this cannot be done for individual
Farmers. A circular on methods Of
/ fighting the army work has also been