10 MONTANA EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 504 



There is no knowni chemical control for this insect, but some cultural prac- 

 tices appear to be of value in its control. 



WINTER WHEAT MITE (Paratetranychus praetensis) - 



This pest of wheat has so far been found in only one county in Mon- 

 tana and in only one small area. Winter wheat fields in Chouteau County 

 during the fall of 1953 and the spring of 1954 showed some local marginal 

 damage by this mite. 



WHEAT STEM SAWTLY (Cephas cinctus) 



Reports and limited surve\s during 1953 indicated that the infested 

 area remained about the same and that damage was neither unusually high 

 nor unusually low. Although the season was generally late for the emerging 

 adults in 1954, the infestation appeared to be more widespread than in the 

 previous years. 



WTSTERN WHEAT APHID (Brachycolas tntici) 



A few light infestations occurred in Broadwater Count}' in the general 

 regions where they had occurred in 1951 and 1952. A few very light infes- 

 tations occurred in Stillwater Count\'. In 1954 western wheat aphid was 

 present in the triangle area in those places where winter wheat was seeded 

 into fallow sround from which \-olunteer plants had not been eliminated. 

 In general these infestations were not of economic importance. 



CORN 



CORN EARWORM (Heliothis armigera) 



A few light to moderate infestations occurred in the southeastern and 

 western part of Montana, especially in sweet com raising areas. Generally, 

 this pest was not as prevalent as it has been in the last two or three years. 



EUROPEAN CORN BORER (Pyrausta nubilalis) 



The European corn borer which was first reported in Montana in 1951 

 appears to be at about the same economic level as it was at that time. 

 Borers are present in small numbers in irrigated com in Prairie, Dawson, 

 and Richland counties. No new economic infestations were observed during 

 the past biennium. 



EUROPEAN EARWIG (Forficula auricularia) 



This insect is common on com in all of Montana west of the Continental 

 Divide and in southwestern Montana east of the Continental Divide. It is 

 apparently very readily attracted to com and has extended its area of infes- 

 tation by being transported in corn ears from one localitv' to another. 



