14 MONTANA EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 238 



and parks in Montana. Tlip combined attack of the many insects 

 on these trees and shru1)s is sufficient in many instances to kill the 

 trees or make them useless. 



THE MONTANA INSECT SURVEY 



A State insect survey is primarily a system of records hacked 

 nji hy authentically named specimens of the insects recorded. The 

 ])rocess of making: the survey involves visiting the various parts of 

 the State and making collections and observations. An insect survey 

 is mucli more than dead records; it is a living thing, contributing 

 almost daily to the general welfare of research and extension. It is 

 effective and useful very largely in projioi'tinn to its completeness. 

 In many eases tlie individual farmer does not know whether or not 

 a given pest is on his farm. The grasshoppers he does know, and 

 if wheat or the hay crop is being destroyed he knows this also : yet 

 in many eases a loss sufficient to wijie out his margin of profit is 

 not noticed. Failure to detect the loss often occurs with cutworms, 

 wireworms. alfalfa-seed cha.lcis-fly, wheat-stem sawfly, and many 

 others. In many cases the farmer does not even know of the ex- 

 istence of a given pest. 



This is why it is essential that the Extension entomologist as 

 he makes his trips over the State should make this insect survey. The 

 survey is a cumulative record, easily consulted. The information so 

 accumulated is of value to the research staff as Avell and lias a definite 

 bearing on what insects shall be the subject of research. A specimen 

 survey card is shown herewith. 



Mr. W. B. Mabee did a valuable service for ]\Iontana in devising 

 this system of records and in getting the work well under way. He 

 went over the State collection of some 125,000 specimens accumulated 

 during the past thirty-two years and from this and the large accumu- 

 lation of records made some 2260 cards. 



