Evening star., 1924-01-13
INSECT ENEMIES.
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

tain or migratory locust, which ever
since 1918 has at times threatened
grain fields in several sections, es-
peciaily on the great plains. Some
times veritable carpet Of these 10
Gusts has covered the grain fields,
filling the farmers with despair. But
invariably, just as they had given up
| all hope Of saving their crops, flock =
birds. gulls, quail and English spar
rows appeared. falling upon the pests
with such effect that much of the
grain survived the attacks.
Birds have proved equally effica-
cious. Mr.. McAtee asserts. when in
itroduced into hothouses where in
scots threatened the plants. They af-
ford a much safer means of insect
destruction, he believes, than spray
ing or fumigating. The spraying
tender young plants, while the birds
bring no such disadvantage.
Quail After Alfalfa WeeviI.
While 1T is true that many species
OF birds feed upon and destroy guam
/ titles OF grains. fruits and berries
every year, the good they do in eradI-
eating or keeping down the number
| of the growers other enemies is more
than worth this slight damage. Farm
ers were at first opposed to intro
ducing quail into their alfalfa fields,
for instance. although advised to do
| 80 by the government as a means Of
leradicating the alfalfa weevil. But
now the value of the quail in this
| respect has been 30 definitely proved
that in some alfalfa growing sections
farmers will not permit quail hunt
| ing.
Another creature, long scorned but
now held in great esteem by intelli-
/ gent farmers, is the toad. The De-
rartment of Agriculture estimates
that the economic value of single
toad, based on its destruction of cut
worms alone during the months of
May. June and July, when insects
take their highest toll. is s19.44. In
| that valuation the destruction Of one
cent. 1t is a low estimate of the
damage cutworms do. Add to the
cutworms all the other insects that
|, the toad destroys, and its Importance
and value become increasingly ap-
parent.
Toads are greedy little things. but
although their appetites are insati-
able they will touch nothing that is
rot alive. A moving insect is eagerly
snapped up as soon as it wanders
within reach of their long tongues,
| which are hinged at the front instead
OF the back.
In twenty-four hours toad eats
al amount of food equal to four times
the capacity of its stomach. OF this
relatively enormous quantity of food
at least three-ffths is made up of
insects that are injurious to vegeta-
tion. Cutworms, gypsy motha tent
cate rpillars, army worms, brown
tailed moths. house flies and rose
chafers are some Of the pests which
the toad feeds upon. One toad under
observation consumed twenty-f four
medium-sixed gypsy moth catsrpillars
In one morning. another ate thirty
fully grown celery caterpillars in
less than three hours. q third ate
eighty-six house hies In ten minutes
and q fourth swallowed ninety rose
bugs as fast as he could and was
looking for more when the observer
left him.
Gardeners are gradually learning
the value Of toads a. garden pets. but
no one in this country has yet reach
ed the degree of appreciation that
prompts many English gardeners to
buy toads by the hundreds. Besides,
| there IS one uncertainty in buying
! toad; there is always a chance that
| he will Immediately start back to mis-
| former home. The homing instinct is
SO highly developed in this creature
that unless carried a very great dis
tance he will promptly hop back as
saont as he is released. BY raising
them from tadpoles the dificulty OF
Ikeaping them Is overcome, for the
placs Whare they leave the water o.
toads is always home to them.