The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1918-09-12
Meadow and Pasture Insects.
Crop Rotation for Old Meadows

In connection with the special study of
Meadow and Pasture Insects which has
been in progress the present summer at the
Maine Agricultural Experiment Station it
has been found that several species of gen.
eral distribution and occasional serious
losses have been quite abundant in Maine.
While their work is of such character
as to escape common observation there is
no question as to the considerable losses
which they entail upon the meadow crops
and the pasturage available for stock.
Among number of species that have
been common and which have been
studied more or less in detail the Clover
seed Caterpillar and the Wheat-head
Army-worm may be mentioned particu-
larly since these species have very wide
distribution through the United States
and are known as causing at times very
serious losses but neither species has been
noted heretofore as destructive in Maine.
The Clover-seed Caterpillar is small
insect that works especially in the heads
of clover during the early part of sum-
mer, while the clover is in bloom, eating
away the florets and not only preventln
the formation of seed but reducing the
value of the crop for hay. In late sum-
mer or autumn when heads are not avail
able it may work on leaves or stems or at
the crown so as to damage the plant.
EARLY cutting of the first clover crop is
considered good remedy in other States,
especially where cloveris grown for seed,
but for conditions in Maine and especially
the difficulty of cutting early on account
of uncertainty of weather this can hardly
be recommended and since further in
crease of this insect may result in pretty
heavy losses it would seem advisable to
rotate where this is practicable, plowlne
under as early IN the fall as possible and
planting the field to some other crop next
spring.
The Wheat-head Army-worm, as its
name indicates, is especially noted by its
destruction of wheat heads but it is pri-
marily a grass insect and often eats off
the heads of timothy and other grasses.
It has been taken in large numbers this
summer in all old meadows examined and
while it has not in any case stripped the
drass land in CONSPICUOUS manner 1t has
enthusiastically cut down the yield by
very appreciate amount. For this spe-
cies as for the preceding the most practl-
cal measure that can be advocated for old
meadows where rotation is practical is an
early blowing so as to prevent the matur-
ity of the worm or interfere with their
reaching the adult stage.
The common and well known grass
| hoppers have been very abundant as any
one may determine by a short excursion
| in any meadow or pasture and they must
have accounted for large percentage IN
the growth of the grass and clover on
! which they feed. AS these grasshoppers
accumulate along roadsides and fence
| rows it is possible to kill immense num-
| beers with a bran mash poison bait dis
tributed in such places, if it is impracti-
| cable to cover the VI hole field.
| Aphids, thrips, froghoppers and plant
bugs have also been plenty and wireworms
have been reported from many places as
| troublesome in corn planted on sod land
recently in grass.
| From the nature Of their work, the
different habits of the various species and
the extent of the area covered it is hardly
possible to use any direct application OF
insecticides on profitable basis unless it
! be the poisoned bats for erasshoppers.