MONTANA INSECT PESTS, 1953-1954 5 



data relating to this problem in a booklet which can be used by vocational 

 agriculture teachers throughout the state. The responsibility for this project 

 will rest niainb' on this office, but the Northwest Crop Improvement Asso- 

 ciation will tender any aid possible. 



The Federal Food and Diiig Administration is aware that much of this 

 contamination in grain is a\oidable. At the present time it is conducting a 

 program to eliminate, in so far as possible, the contamination of cereals to 

 be used for human consumption. Consequentlv. a good deal of this grain 

 may, in the future, be condemned and declared unfit for food if this situa- 

 tion continues to exist, .\nother form of contamination has been brought 

 to our attention by the Federal Food and Drug Administration. This has 

 been the practice of dumping into farm storage bins fungicide-treated grains 

 which were not seeded. In the Northwest, during the summer of 1954, 

 approximately 60 carloads of this fungicide-treated grain, worth almost 

 $250,000, were condemned by the federal food inspection authorities. In 

 addition, it was known that at least 10 carloads of insecticide-contaminated 

 wheat were put on the market. In the latter case, the federal authorities 

 could do nothing since this wheat was not shipped through interstate 

 commerce. 



GENERAL FEEDERS 



GRASSHOPPERS 



1953 Season 



Grasshopper populations on cropland in 1953 were generally higher 

 than in 1952. A few localized, ver\' se\ere infestations along with some 

 light to moderate crop damage occurred in Yellowstone, Golden Valley, 

 Chouteau. Hill, "^weet Grass. Beaverhead, Liberty, Cascade, Pondera, Park, 

 Stillwater, Big Horn, and Phillips counties. The greatest damage was to 

 grain crops, although there was some damage to alfalfa. Moderate range 

 land grasshopper infestations, which caused damage to grazing lands, oc- 

 curred in Pondera, Yellowstone, Big Horn, Beaverhead, and Jefferson coun- 

 ties. 



1954 Season 



Grasshoppers on cropland in Montana showed a marked increase in 1954. 

 This was especially true in the area of Toole, Liberty. Hill, Chouteau, Pon- 

 dera, Teton, Cascade, and Fergus counties. In addition, many of the other 

 counties in the moimtain area of the western part of the state showed light 

 to moderate damage. Probably the most damaging cropland grasshopper 

 was Melanoplus bivittatus, although marked increases were noted in popula- 

 tions of Aulocara elliotti which did severe damage in some areas. Range 

 land grasshoppers also appeared in larger numbers than they have in many 

 years. The general area of infestation lies in the western part of the state 

 and extends east to about the Bear Paw Moimtains and south to Stillwater 



