14 INJURIOUS INSECTS OF KANSAS. 



Description and Life- history. — The Chinch-bug is unfortunately 

 a familiar object to Kansas farmers. It is when adult about one- 

 sixth of an inch in length, four-winged, the two front wings white, 

 with a small triangular black dot about the middle of the outer 

 margin. The young resemble the adult in general shape, but lack 

 wings, or have merely short wing-pads. When very young the 

 bugs are bright red. The bug is injurious in all stages, young, 

 half-grown, and adult. 



The eggs are laid in the spring (from middle of March to mid- 

 dle of May) by bugs which have hibernated in the adult stage. 

 The eggs are laid a few at a time, perhaps 500 being laid by 

 each female. The young "red bugs" begin work in the wheat 

 fields, and usually remain in the wheat until harvest ( last of June 

 to middle of July), when the destructive host moves into the 

 fields of young and growing corn. It requires about six weeks 

 for the maturing of the bugs. The adults now pair and the cycle 

 of a new generation begins. The perfect insects of this genera- 

 tion are those which pass through the winter and lay the eggs the 

 following spring for the next year's first brood. It is highly prob- 

 able if not certain that a third brood often appears in Kansas. 



The Chinch-bug, though winged, uses its powers of flight but 

 little, and its migrations from wheat to corn fields in July are 

 usually on foot. The wings are used to some degree at pairing 

 time. 



Remedies. — The gathering together of all rubbish, old corn 

 stalks, dead leaves, etc., in which old bugs pass the winter, and 

 burning it, will destroy many parent bugs, thereby largely lessen- 

 ing the spring brood. 



Jligh cultivation, to enable the plants to withstand the attacks 

 of the pests. 



Disputing the entrance of the bugs into the field, when migrat- 

 ing on foot, by plowing furrows around the field and pouring coal- 

 tar into the ditches. 



Thex'e are several natural remedies, namely, the attacks of pre- 

 daceous insects, as aphis-lions, lady-birds, and others, and the 

 attacks of some birds, as the common quail. 



Most effective of all, however, has proved the artificial dissem- 

 ination of contagious diseases among the bugs. The practical 

 application of this method, which has been attended with marked 

 and gratifying success, is to be credited to Prof F. H. Snow, of 



