4 SEVENTEENTH Report STATE ENTOMOLOGIST OF MINNESOTA—1918 
Fretp Crop INSECTS 
Two or three regions in the state were threatened this year with 
a grasshopper outbreak. In two instances considerable damage was 
done. From May to July we were very fortunate in procuring through 
the United States Department of Agriculture an extension man for 
field crop insects. Mr. Marshall Hertig, a graduate of Minnesota, was 
sent here at our request and we were well satisfied with his work. 
When the work was at its height he was called in the draft and is now 
serving the country in France. Mr. Hertig devoted his time principally 
to the grasshopper situation. He had it well in hand and was planning 
a vigorous campaign for the fall and winter among the farmers. 
White grubs did considerable damage, but as this was not the year 
for their worst attack, we are planning a campaign for 1919 and 1920. 
The sugar beet web worm made its appearance and did consider- 
able damage to sugar beets, flax and clover in Chippewa, Kandiyohi, 
Grant and Polk counties. At Clara City, we tried arsenate of lead 
powder in a power dusting machine. The insects were controlled, but 
whether the cost of spraying warrants such a control method is yet to 
be determined. 
Wireworms did considerable damage in small areas of the state 
and continue to offer interesting problems. To date, no solution of 
the difficulty has been found. 
Probably by far the most important insect of the garden was the 
cutworm. During the cutworm season from twenty to thirty telephone 
calls a day and innumerable letters pertaining to this insect were re- 
ceived. In almost every case where poisoned bran mash was used as 
directed, the cutworms were easily kept in check. 
TREE INSECTS 
Among the numerous orchard insects which have made their ap- 
pearance in the state is the leaf crumpler of the apple. The increasing 
abundance of this pest cffers further problems for investigation. 
Tussock moths and canker worms are still on the increase. It is 
only where communities decide upon vigorous co-operative measures 
that these pests will be kept in control. 
The oak twig girdler was in evidence this year, doing a great 
amount of damage to the oaks of the lawns and boulevards. Unfor- 
tunately the only control measure is the very expensive one of cutting 
out all diseased branches of the affected trees and burning them with 
their insect contents. 
