GRASSHOPPERS AND OTHER INJURIOUS INSECTS OF 1911 AND 1912. 



71 



CORN BILL BUG. 



This insect, first reported to us in 1910, is proving to be a serious 

 pest in Minnesota. On June 13, 1912, we received a report from 

 Mr. E. J. Pond at Shakopee to the effect that about twenty acres of 

 corn on his land had been ruined by the Corn Bill Bug, Splien- 

 ophorus parvoliis. Mr. Babcock, in charge of our insectary, was 

 sent to Shakopee, and his report of his findings and upon the sum- 

 mer's work with this pest follows : 



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Fig. 50. A Minnesota corn field (about 20 acres), practically destroyed 

 by the Corn Bill Bug. Babcock. 



"Upon looking- through the breeding cage records, reference was found 

 relative to the corn bill bug for 1910. The injury was caused at that time 

 in the above named locality. The record as entered by Mr. Spooner is as 

 follows: 'The field had been cultivated for forty years. Previous to 1910 

 almost the entire corn field had been covered by high water from time to time, 

 thus furnishing an ideal condition for the existence of this pest. In the spring 

 of 1910 the fiefd was planted to corn and wheat, the wheat being more severely 

 attacked.' In the spring of 1911 the field was plowed to wheat and corn, the 

 wheat being all destroyed except about half an acre. On June 9th the corn 

 showed evidence of attack in practically every hill. 



On July 5, 1912, I made an investigation to determine the extent of the 

 damage and its probabilities in the future. The field was planted to corn in 

 the spring of 1912. Out of 25 acres of corn at least 20 acres were practically 

 ruined. The beetles were so numerous that they could be seen traveling over 

 the surface of the ground from place to place, but two days later only two 



