^Iju Canadian 3ftttowaltt0i$t, 



Vol. XLVII. LONDON. JULY, 1915 No. 7 



POPULAR AND ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY. 



Poisoned Bait for Cutworms. 



by e. h. strickland, 



Dominion Entomological Laboratory, Lethbridge, Alberta. 



Experiments conducted at the Dominion Entomological 

 Laboratory at Lethbridge, Alberta, during the past two years 

 upon the control of Porosagrotis orthogonia and Euxoa ochrogaster, 

 and again this Spring upon a species of Chorizagrotis have proved 

 to us that shorts are far more valuable than bran as a bait for the 

 purpose of poisoning. 



In 1913, when experiments were first started, bran only was 

 tried, and results were extremely disappointing, for it was seen 

 that this material lost most of its attractiveness when dry. Under 

 our semi-arid conditions it seems impossible to obtain a bran mixture 

 that will remain sufficiently attractive after it has lost its moisture, 

 some fifteen minutes after its application to the heated soil. In 

 this connection it should be noted that we have no dew at night. 



Numerous mixtures were given thorough, and repeated, trials 

 under varying conditions, in which different quantities of salt, 

 sugar, and various syrups were used as attractive agents. In all 

 cases 1-10 acre plots were treated at, or after, sundown, and they 

 were examined once or twice during the three or four days following 

 the date of application. The bran was applied at the rate oflOO 

 lbs, per acre, but even with this amount never more than 26% of 

 the worms were killed. 



The following are a few typical results from about 40 observa- 

 tions: — 



On Fall Wheat 



100 lbs. Bran, 2 lbs. Sugar, 2 lbs. Paris Green, 23^ gallons Water. 

 —20% dead. 



100 lbs. Bran, 6 lbs. Sugar, 2 lbs. Paris Green, 23^ gallons 

 Water.— 10% dead. 



