10 INSECTS INJURIOUS IN 1902. 
seems to be very scarce or lacking along our entire western border 
from south to north. I looked for it carefully in the counties of 
Clay, Otter Tail, Douglas, Polk and Itasca and found no trace of 
it, and met with the statement everywhere in these counties (with 
the exception of the rumor mentioned above in Douglas) that it 
was not known to occur. It will be seen then from observations 
made by both Dr. Lugger and the writer that it is a pest of south- 
ern distribution in this state and it is further to be noted that it 
is found more conspicuously in that part of the state which has 
become more or less wooded; in other words, in localities where 
farms are interspersed with woodland affording better chances 
for hibernation and less likelihood of destruction through burning. 
Years ago, it seems, this rolling country which is now fairly wood- 
ed, was subject to annual burnings. These have ceased allowing 
the growth of timber and at the same time the increase of this 
pest. 
The Chinch Bug, a native of this country and first living upon 
wild grasses before grains were placed before it, probably causes 
greater loss than any other one pest. To give some idea of the 
extensive injury to be laid at the door of such an insignificant 
looking insect, hardly more than an eighth of an inch long, we 
quote from a government report recently issued, “the loss for 
single States in one season have been estimated at from ten to 
twenty millions of dollars; that for single years throughout its 
range at above one hundred million dollars. Large as these fig- 
ures are, when the actual estimate of shrinkage in the yield of 
wheat and other grains, not to mention forage crops is made, it 
will be seen that they are reasonable and probably within the true 
amount.” 
In 1871 Illinois is said to have lost $10,000,000, while that 
State with Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Wisconsin and In- 
diana in 1871 lost $30,000,000. In 1874 the loss of above seven 
States was estimated at $60,000,000. Missouri alone losing $19,- 
000,000. In 1887 Minnesota alone lost over $6,000,000 in the 
counties affected. 
ITS APPEARANCE AND LIFE HISTORY. 
[he Chinch Bug has been so frequently described that it 
hardly seems necessary to go into details and we will merely give 
