MONTANA INSECT PESTS, 1949 AND 1950 5 



species distribution in crop lands remained somewhat the same 

 as in past years. The predominant species were Melanoplus raexi- 

 canus, Melanoplus hivattatus, Melanoplus packardii, and Melano- 

 plus differentialis (southeastern area) . 



1949 should prove to be historically important because the 

 first large scale attempt to control range land grasshopper infest- 

 ations occurred during that year. This attempt was, for the most 

 part, successful and what is probably more important paved the 

 way for the development of more economical and reliable means 

 of controlling range grasshopper infestations. A total of $767,046.97 

 was expended on this range land program in Montana. Of this 

 amount, approximately $50,000 was state funds, $127,264.35 was 

 county and private land owner funds, $588,487.62 was Federal 

 Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine funds, and $1,295.00 

 was funds from other federal agencies. A total of 3,863 tons of 

 chlordane and toxaphene dry bran bait was used to treat 949,292 

 acres of Montana range lands. An average of about IVz pounds of 

 bait per acre was applied at rates varying from 5 to 15 pounds 

 per acre. Most of the initial baiting was done at the rate of 5 

 pounds of bait per acre which was found to be insufficient where 

 high populations of grasshoppers occurred. As a result, 181,800 

 acres had to be rebaited. 



Nearly all of the baiting in this program was accomplished by 

 aircraft. The practicability and efficiency of this type of application 

 on vast range land areas was clearly demonstrated. 



In general, the control of grasshoppers realized from range 

 baiting was fair to excellent. Occasionally, situations were en- 

 countered where many 'hoppers apparently were not feeding on 

 the ground, and thus did not contact and consume the bait. Ap- 

 parently grasshoppers will only eat bait when they accidentally 

 contact it. Two species of grasshoppers, Metator pardalinus and 

 Phoetaliotes nehrascensis, apparently would not take bait under 

 any circumstances as adults. 



The savings to stockmen resulting from grasshopper control 

 on range lands in 1949 was conservatively estimated to be $2,321,641. 



This range land grasshopper control program, like most initial 

 programs, was not perfect in every respect. It is hoped that the 

 following noted imperfections will be of value in planning and 

 perfecting range land grasshopper control programs in the future: 



(1) To accomplish a complete job approximately 6,000,000 

 acres would have had to have been treated. The $767,046.97 avail- 

 able would treat only about 1/6 of this area. It would have re- 

 quired, therefore, about $4,600,000 to do a complete job. It is 

 doubtful if a legislative request for such a sum would receive a 

 great deal of consideration. 



