Evening star., 1938-06-16
Mo''tis and Grasshopper War
Disturbs u. S.-Canadian Peace
Farm Officials Here Laugh at Ontario
Idea Insects May Be Destroyed by
Hordes of Praying Variety.
BY BLAIR BOLLES.

BY BLAIR BOLLEs.
The governments Of the United
States and the Dominion Of Canada,
classified friendly neighbors, have
reached q parting Of the ways. ento-
mologically speaking.
The Dominion Parasite Laboratory
at Belleville, Ontario, is sending hordes
OF praying mantises to the western
provinces to feed on grasshoppers and
put an end to their scourging Of the
plains.
The United States Department of
Agriculture laughed politely at the
idea that the praying mantis, one OF
North Americas best-Nked insects,
would be Of any value as q destroyer
of grasshoppers. Whether the hopper
be Southwestern lubber, q differen-
tial, a two-striped, lesser migratory,
q red-leg, carolina or q rellucid.
One Of the chief drawbacks of the
mantis as a grasshopper-sc -scourge, &C.
cording to 8. A. Rohwer. assistant
chief Of the Agriculture DEPARTMENTS
Bureau Of Entomology and Plant Quar-
antine, Is that 1t couldn't eat enough
grasshoppers . day to make an i'm
preston on, the hordes OF hoppers
which are the bane Of the West.
Don't Increase in Numbers.
Another drawback Is that mantises
don't increase in numbers rapidly
enough to match the great reproduc-
ton OF the grasshoppers.
Then there Is the question of
whether the mantis could stand the
climate Of certain parts Of the West.
Mr.. Rohwer, q mantis fancier II
there ever was one, wishes phasmo-
mantis carolina, paratendera sinensis
or mantis religiosa L., the three dif-
ferent kinds Of mantises in the
United States, could do the Job,
They are predatory insects. feeding
on beetles, flies, aphids, and other
bugs, but these are smaller fry than
grasshoppers.
Tne grasshopper plague this year is
the worst in a long time, Mr.. Rohwer
reported. He said that the United
States Government goes after them
in two ways-by destroying their eggs
and using poison bait.
Tons Of Poison Bait.
The Bureau Of Entomology and
Plant Quarantine expects to use about
17S,000 tons Of poison bait this sum-
mer, divided thus among a States:
Arizona, 205 tons; Arkansas, $40:
California, 140; Colorado, 1o,152:
Idaho. 4lo; Illinois. 2,o3s; Iowa. H.
O52; Kansas, 6,64S; Michigan, 1856:
Minnesota, $500: Missouri, 1884:
Montana, 5,108; Nebraska, 1875:
Nevada. II; New Mexico, 2,17s: North
Dakota, $500: Oklahoma, 1852; Ore
gon. 3l4: South Dakota, 25.642; Texas,
$4,000; Utah, 7o6; Washington, 200;
Wisconsin, s.945. and Wyoming. 2,o1s
Last year 1921 tons Of poison bait
were used, at cost to the Federal
Government Of approximately ST..
100000. The late summer and fail.
however, were warm enough to make
possible wholesale increases in the
grasshopper population.
Lee A. Strong. chief of the Bureau
.m Entomology here, has received re-
ports from State entomolo9ists indi-
eating that grasshoppers last year
did damage amounting to So. 900 600.
Mr.. Strong estimated that the money
spent ON poison bait saved crops
worth 500, 100000.
The appetizer in the poison bait
Is bran and molasses, to which is
added water and crude arsenic. The
dried mixture IS scattered in flakes,
which livestock won't eat, and Is
sure death to the grasshopper.
The nearest approach to the pray
ing mantis which this country ad-
vocates using in battle against the
grasshopper Is . group Of parasitic
two-winged flies. They deposit mag
gots on grasshoppers in their mature
or early stage, and the maggots de-
voir the internal portions of the hop
per's body and soon kill it.
The mantises, in eating other in
sects, 60 about the joust more d.
rectly than these flies.
The mantis' forelegs are long and
armed with rows Of teeth, by which
the prey IS grasped. In the watt
ing position, these legs are held raised
and folded and give the appearance
Of an attitude Of prayer.
(copyright. 1898. by the North American
Newspaper Alliance, Inc)