Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1922-09-22
The Caterpillar Pest.

The entire county has been as much
beSet this past summer, by the atthc-
tion of insect visitation as the Egyp-
tians during the period OF multltorm
plaques that were visited upon them.
There has been ever-present boil Wee
vii, that is such a certainty and con-
l.uulty that they ma! no, oe mem
tened with new Investments. Then
there has been the Swarming boards
of ants that have harraSsed the house
keeper, ottelitlmes beyond endurance
though this section has been more
fortunate than many. where govern
ment aid has necessarily been sought
to help exterminate them. Then there
has come the caterpillar that has
proven the worst menace of al, for
one species of this pest has developed
into poisonous variety, with NAH
gnant disposition and venomous
sting. A young girl at Lena, in Leake
county was bitten few days ago
by one of this species, and was oc-
casioned considerable suffering on ac-
count of the poision that was inject
ed by the sting. Official notice of
this, and warning against the worm
is published this week, by the author
ity of the state plant board Of Mis-
sissippi.
= Not all of the caterpillars that are
seen diligently az work destroying
the foliage, and Incidentally, the
crop. on all of the nut-bearing trees
of the section are poisonous. but it
is well to keep in mind the fact that
there is a poisonous variety. and be
watchful for its kind, and give it the
right Of way.
The menace of the caterpillar grows
greater and ever greater, and the de
visitation that it spreads, extends oven
an ever widening surface. so that the
cry what are we to do" grows more
and more earnest. The stripped and
deadened nut trees that have hither-
to been productive of splendid crops
Of nuts are mute, but ever present
reminders that something must b(
done to rid this section of the des
truction that these caterpillars carry
Now that they have done their worE
Of destruction, ard re reached fll
growth, they have taken on a NOR
active form Of life, and are crawling
about promiscuously, invading the
houses. and proving themselves ;
loathsome annoyance in many ways
Their tendency to swarm over tht
whole existing territory, calls to mint
the INVASION of the army worm in tn,
rural districts, some ten years, O
probaly more, ago, when these pest
took the country by Storm" march
ing in single, double and every know
phalanx into dwelling houses, almos
to the point of driving the inmate
out OF doors. For several days, dur
ing this time, after they had Stripe
the cotton entirely bare of leave.
they marched in boards over the SUI
rounding territory. entering bouse
in such numbers that they had to
: swept out with brooms,, and as fas
: as one crowd was swept out of on
door, different army entered anotf
er. People were almost afraid
go to bed, for they never knew whe
. they would waken to find host G
. these worms as bed-fellows. Viii
: the caterpillar that is the probel
now is neither so numerous nor S
friendly, still it is growing to be
great nuisance, for, with most of tn
: trees on which it feeds stripped bar,
: 1t is crawling every where in door
and out, creating uncomfortable fee
: ings for people who look down an
see one or two of the loathsome crea
: lures freely making a promenad
ground of himself or herself-partit
e ularly are the ladies on a constar
i nervous outlook for them in their at
s vances. ~
f Those who have allowed the de
}, vastation from the caterpillar to Q
n on to the destruction of their tree
should take measures to destroy tn
d 'eM4nng worms that are in the wei
: Tor the sake Of next years crop.
good way is to pull them down, web
d and all and burn them, for it is tc
e late to burn them on the tree, f,
Q next years crop will he killed in tn
way o. course this pulling the wei
Y dowr and burning \ r1eagre de
n truction where the pest is in such M,
d bers. but for individual trees il
# effective, and something and eve,
thing must be done for next year
10 outlook. .TgG'