INSECTS INJURIOUS TO CORN. 303 



NATURAL ENEMIES. 



Unfortunately for the agriculturist, at least, the chinch bug has few- 

 natural enemies; especially is this the case with its insect enemies. 

 Most insects are held in check by other insects that are either predaceous 

 (that is, devour them), or are parasitic upon or in them. But the chinch 

 bug seems to be largely immune from the attack of either the predaceous 

 or the parasitic insects ; at least, they are not in sufficient quantities to 

 do us any particular good in that direction, and it therefore seems hope- 

 less for the agriculturist to ever expect that the chinch bug will be suffi- 

 ciently held in check by other insects. One of the predaceous insects 

 most destructive to the chinch bug is shown in 

 figure 54. There are some birds, however, that 

 feed upon chinch bugs, but, unfortunately, the 

 birds are so scarce now-a-days that we can hope ^ 

 for very little help from this source. The quail 

 is perhaps the most beneficial bird that we have 

 along these lines, for they devour great numbers 

 of chinch bugs, but quail are sought as a game 

 bird with such diligence that they are becoming J^- ,jf;^-\,^^^^^^S 

 extremely scarce. Meadow larks also devour im- gu^ck^ing^their'b'iood^^lFro^ 

 mense numbers of chinch bugs — perhaps as Riiey, u. s. Dept. Agric.) 

 many as do the quail, but here again these birds are also killed as game 

 birds. Prairie chickens, red-wing black birds, catbirds and thrushes 

 also readily feed upon chinch bugs. 



. There are certain fungoid and bacterial diseases that attack chinch 

 bugs under certain conditions, and these diseases do more good towards 

 keeping the chinch bugs in check than all the other natural enemies of 

 the chinch bug combined. However, we cannot ever hope to see the day 

 in this region of the United States when the natural enemies of the chinch 

 bug will ever keep it reduced in numbers to within harmless bounds. We 

 must assist nature with her task by artificial means. From what has been 

 said in regard to the habits and life history of the insect, it is apparent 

 to anyone giving the subject any particular thought, that the chinch 

 bug has several weak points that we can take advantage of. 



REMEDIES. 



It is advisable that the agriculturist resort to every means possible 

 within the bounds of reason looking towards the suppression of the chinch 



