Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1918-05-01
VISIT FROM ARMY OF
WHITE GRUBS IS DUE

The white grub, who destroyed
more than $4,000, 900 worth OF crops
on the occasion Of his last visit In
force to Michigan, Illinois and Wis
consin in 1915, is due to make another
call this season, according TO the de-
partment of entomology of the Michi-
gan Agricultural College. The de-
apartment forecasts that the grub,
which becomes a June-bug when 1T
grows up, is likely to be unusually
troublesome in eastern and south
western sections of the State.
"This pest will be very abundant
in Huron, Sanilac, Tuscola, st. Clair,
Lapeer, Genesee, Macomb and Oak
land counties" it is announced by Don
B. Whelan, extension specialist in
entomology for M. A. c., "and also
in portions of Shiawassee, Saginaw,
Livingston, Washtenaw and Wayne
counties. In the southwestern part
of the state, Kalamazoo, Cass and st:
Joseph counties, with portions OF
Calhoun, Berrien, Van Buren, and
Branch are likely to be effected.
"The most destructive stage of the
like of this insect, which requires
three years to complete its life-cycle,
comes the year after the eggs have
laid-acounting for the fact that we
have this insect destroying crops ev-
cry three years. The brood of grubs
coming this season is a later genera
ton of the ones which did so much
damage in 1912 and 1915 TO crops in
Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin and Michi-
gan.
Corn planted this spring on ground
that last year was in sod, will be In
danger of being partially, or even tot
ally destroyed - wherefore farmers
living in infested districts may find it
necessary to change their rotation to
forestall destruction of their crops.
However, ground which was in corn
or had heavy stnad of clover last
year, will contain, ordinarily, but few
grubs. Land which was in wheat or
noats last year, may contain many
grubs this spring, but if clover,
which is one of the least susceptible
crops, follows, the grubs will scarcely
injure it.
aside from this, it is desirable to
so arrange the rotation that the least
amount of land will be in timothy
and small grains the years the bee
ties fiy-which means that during
1918 and 1921, it will be safer to fol-
low corn with corn, clover, or some
cultivated crop than to plant it on
land which last year was occupied by
small grains, timothy or weeds. A
rotation of oats, clover and corn has
proved very satisfactory in some sec
tons.
'By way of shedding some light up
on the history of white grubs, it may
be interesting to know that these are
the larvae of what most of US call the
June-bug, or May-beetle.' In June
of last year these beetles laid their
eggs preferably in ground that was
covered with vegetation, weeds, sod,
timothy and small grains-and these
eggs, in about a month, Matched into
tiny grubs which fed, for a time on
tender roots and decaying matter
finally working their way down into
the soil to pass the fall and winter.
"Just now they are alternating in
small earthen cells a foot or more be-
low the surface of the ground, but
about the first of May they will come
up and begin feeding upon their fav-
orite foods. of certain crop roots,
such as corn, they are very fond,
while others, such as clover, are hard
ly touched by them.
"The destructiveness Of the grubs
will last from about the first Of May
until the first of October, unless some
thing is done to check them. At this
-October-they will once more
work their way into the soil to pass
the winter and come near to the sur
face again in the spring to feed for
few weeks. After these few weeks
they transform, within an earthen
cell, into a pupa, from which finally
energies the adult beetle. The beetle,