The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1919-06-24
q BROUGHT FROM EUROPE


WS1f&rn quarantine board, organized
{ III a operate with the farmers to
2pfSS@ht the spread of pests and dis
eS1G thru interstate shipments. AL
f&1f6 Weevils rave been known to
rids He blind baggage in the straw
uoed@ 1m shipping potatoes.
Y Iha principal means of distribu-
fiOn into new territory is by fight.
\! Kolnnteer alfalfa along roadways,
1t@h kanks and railroad tracks en-
n Seevils to spread perhaps fifty
N 1dxky miles in a season.
Th8 alfalfa weevil Is a European
4 Ii{I 6ct that was introduced into the
x1Hik&d States, first observed about
IN gQ7 md is gradually spreading over
v th0 diStricts where alfalfa Is grown.
sT6a inject feeds primarily on alfalfa,
hut III also found feeding on sweet
GLOVER and rarely on other clovers,
pea6 eans and several wild legumes.
The Jfhh station has found that dur
ing fhA first year of the presence of
the eeyils, there is scarcely any
4 danSEe noticeable. The second year
tthe 4Ifalfa is injured from one
Q16Ft6f to three-quarters of the first
GrQOs md from one-Quarter to one
Hill HUI the second crop. The third
WI he alfalfa may not grow to
ailf clGnt height to be cut.
Appear in Early Spring
TIle weevils begin to appear in
4 the Helds at the first approach Of
Spring causing more or less damage
/ Nv DliHcturing with their beaks the
1 tender shoots Of alfalfa. After feed
ing lew days, the female weevils
make Numerous punctures in the al
falfa items, where they deposit
thair eggs. Each female will lay
IRON 800 to 500 eggs during the
sprirg In a few days the larvae
(wormsl hatch from the eggs and
work their way up to the tender de-
veloping leaf buds. Feeding upon
these growing tips stops the further
growth of the leaf bud, thus check
Ing the development of the alfalfa
plant AS the larvae develop, they
/ begin residing upon the larger leaves,
often having nothing but the skele-
ton outline. Robbing the alfalfa
plant III its foliage makes it impos-
ssible fpr the plant to secure food
and energy from the sunlight and
air Thus it is impossible for the
first crop to mature until the worms
have becOme full grown and dropped
to the Ground. Here the worms pre-
pare III 90 into resting stage. They
seek the shelter of dry, curled al
falfa Leaf or other loose, dead vegeta-
tion, which accumulates at the al
faIfa crown, and spin their cocoons,
within which they transform, and at
the end of ten to fourteen days
emerge rs fully formed weevils,
ready for further depredations on
the alfalfa field. In late summer or
early fall these weevils seek the shell
ter Of leaves and rubbish, where they
can hibernate over winter until
Punctures Show Presence
The presence of the weevil may
be deterHpined by the skeletonized APP
spearaflce pf the leaves or numerous
ANAL pu1ctures in the alfalfa stems,
or the rasped appearance of the
epidertni8 (stem covering), or by the
presence of a brownish liquid which
they dep0sit in spots wherever they
are fe6ding.
They are quick to drop to the
ground when disturbed. The ma
dority lot the weevils feed on the
leaves at night. In badly infested
areas many weevils may be found
feeding during the day.
'Thor0 discing of the alfalfa early
In thu bring tends to increase the
stand and the alfalfa appears to be
BETTER able to withstand the early
weevi1 injury.
aIn b8dly infested areas, after cut
ting 1fIjk removing the hay, the field
should be gone over carefully with
the III laIfa cultivator or spring-tooth
harrow and followed by a thoro
treatment with the brush or wire
drag III object being to break up
he t&ur<ace of the soil, to stimulate
earl Dwth of the second crop, to
tear I'LL &reen tissue from the alfalfa
crowns md stems, in order that the
Weevi1{ larvae will starve, to make
u mn list mulch which heats under
~ h{E "a and which burns and suf-
foc& teG The larvae, and to crush or
dra< ~ in the mulch all the larvae
hid the alfalfa crowns.
wire has gradually come to
nu& "a the brush drag, because it
81 QGackly and easily made, last
LON md is claimed by many to
~ |6fS effective. The wire drag
Ii tx from a piece Of hog fence
6b66t tVelve feet long and securely
I'm 5ie 10 a log or heavy plank. The
fr0 mt of the wire may be
WI down by putting spike
to5 srrow on top, setting the
ta1 l back and then riding the
haIx The rear part of the wire
mai Weighted down with heavy
spi&0< wood or sacks partly filled
Pasturing the fields with
Gl& SR NJ proved beneficial, but the
6iil5 Mould not be kept on for
rndf M three or four days, or
Iol 6n is necessary to rapidly
ctt Held clean. Spraying with
atx9 NJ lead, five pounds paste
n III 4 Hons water) has been re-
sOI'fo on gravelly lands, where
the mulch is an impossibility.
Thu BILE danger of poisoning
st0o cost and the lack Of any
cult@ <lue to the crop prevents
thu nmnudin1 Of tHauraviup