10 MONTANA EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 238 



There Avas a severe infestation in the Orchard Homes section 

 near ^lissoula where truck crops were severely damaged. In one 

 case 12,000 eabhage seedlings were destroyed. The species here in- 

 volved was Limonius sp. In Sanders County near Thompson Falls, 

 many farmers have been obliged to stop growing potatoes, though 

 the soil is admirably adapted to the crop, because the wireworms de- 

 stroy the tubers. All crops in this region ai-e attacked. County 

 agents in many other counties have reported wireworm damage. 



In Fallon County dry-land wheat was destroyed in spots Avhere 

 the damage amounted to 20 per cent. In Pondera County 1500 acres 

 of wheat were destroyed in 1929. In Stillwater County both dry-land 

 and irrigated ])otatoes are being increasingly damaged. In Cascade 

 County increasing damage is being done to both wheat and potatoes. 

 In Blaine County dry-land wheat and irrigated potatoes are being 

 damaged from 25 to 50 per cent in some localities. In Chouteau 

 County dry-land and irrigated wheat and potatoes are being damaged 

 every year though tlie injury is not yet serious. In Roosevelt County 

 dry-land wheat, corn, jiotatoes, and onions are being damaged in some 

 localities. In Hill County there is local damage to dry-land wheat 

 and in spots the damage is always severe. Wireworms are not a 

 serious pest in Flathead County but they do attack wheat. In 

 Phillii)s County dry-land wheat and oats and irrigated potatoes are 

 always thinned to some extent, but the pest is not yet considered 

 serious. In Custer County 1)eans and onions are being damaged. In 

 Broadwater County severe damage to irrigated root crops and corn 

 is reported in some areas. In Ravalli Covuity potatoes and truck 

 crops are severely damaged. 



THE MORMON CRICKET 



Anal)rus simplex Ilald. 



A campaign to eradicate this insect in western Montana was 

 begun by Mr. Mabee in 1927 and further work has been done each 

 season since, including 1980. The worst of the troi;ble is over, but 

 some work mav be necessarv in 1981. At least it will be necessary 

 to examine the affected area. 



A surprise occurrence of Mormon crickets at Pryor Gap (Big 

 Horn County) late in August, 1930, was reported by 'Mv. Fred 

 Morton, an assistant entomologist in the Board of Entomology, who 

 was placing out tick parasites. An army of the crickets was moving 



