274 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



and made "its presence known by the destruction of large amounts^ of 



grain. 



Since that time the* invader has steadily spread north and south and 

 has now reached Michigan. In the South it is rated as the most 

 destructive enemy to stored grain with which they have to deal. It 

 works on wheat, oats, corn and all the other grains. 



Fig. 23 shows all the stages of the insect. The pest works both in 

 the field and in the granary, developing from four to eight broods each 

 year. The adult winged moth looks very much like a clothes^moth, the 

 wings being narrow and measuring about half an inch or less from tip 

 to tip. In color the moths are buff or yellowish-white, marked with a 

 little dark brown or black. It is said to go to the field from the granary 

 about the time that the wheat heads out. Here the eggs are laid in num- 

 bers. Another brood of adult moths develops about harvest time and 

 the eggs and young larvae from this lot go to the granary. Here they 



Fiir.23 -Aiigoumois trniin-moth, from F. H. Chittpnden, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Farmer.s' 



Bulletin, No. -35. 



feed on the inside of the kernel and produce another brood during the 

 latter part of September. Eggs are laid on fresh grain, and the number 

 of succeeding broods depends on the weather, there may be one or several. 

 Working, as it does, on the inside of the kernel, it is easily overlooked. 

 Till' v.»utside shell is left unharmed, except for the small hole through 

 which the adult moth escapes. 



Beside losing in weight, the grain is often injured for milling pur- 

 poses, beside being distasteful to horses. Professor John B. Smith rec- 

 ommends that threshing be done as soon after harvest as possible and 

 that the grain be put in bulk in tight bins or sacks. If the grain heats 

 more than usual, it may be an indication that the larvae are at work. In 

 such cases it is well to treat with carbon bisulphide, using the liquid at 

 the rate of one pound to 100 ciibic feet of air space in the bin, sometimes 

 more is needed, especially if the weather be cold. 



In using carbon bisulphide, 'always remember that the gas which 

 arises from the liquid is the killing agent, and remember that this gas 

 is poisonous if breathed and very explosive if ignited. For these reasons 

 have, everything ready before pouring out the liquid. The capacity of 

 the bin should be measured, including the air space above the grain as 

 well as the grain itself; shallow pans or plates should be placed on top 



