MONTANA INSECT PESTS, 1947 AND 1948 9 



erally nocturnal; coming out at night to attack many kinds of 

 plants including flowers, ornamentals, fruit trees, vegetables, 

 grains and grasses. They also enter houses to become a nuisance. 

 Although they apparently do not damage household materials, 

 their presence is extremely annoying. They seem to prefer dark, 

 moist habitats such as may be found around kitchen sinks and in 

 bathrooms; however, their activities are not confined to these 

 places. Since the first report of ear wigs occurring at Thompson 

 Falls in 1938, this pest has spread rapidly over a large part of the 

 state. 



INSECTS INJURIOUS TO FIELD CROPS 



SMALL GRAINS 



WHEAT STEM SAWFLY (Cephus cinctus) 



The wheat stem sawfly continues to be one of the most serious 

 insect pests of wheat in Montana. All counties east of the moun- 

 tains are now known to be infested. Economic losses, however, 

 have been confined to Glacier, Pondera and Teton counties on the 

 west, and the adjoining northern tier of counties east to the North 

 Dakota line. McCone, Richland, Dawson, Wibaux, and Fallon 

 counties in the eastern part of the state have likewise been subject 

 to economic losses. An isolated area where sawflies are present also 

 exists in northern Fergus and Judith Basin counties in the vicinity 

 of Garneill. The most severe damage has been to spring wheat, 

 except in Glacier, Toole, Pondera, and Teton counties where 

 winter wheat losses have been severe. 



The areas where sawfly populations of economic importance 

 are found have increased considerably from the localities origi- 

 nally recorded. Just how this extension of infested areas is occur- 

 ring and how far it will go are questions that remain unanswered. 

 An extension of the infested winter wheat area seems to be in 

 progress and this presents a potentially dangerous situation. 



Control of the sawfly is still based upon crop rotation and the 

 use of resistant crops and varieties. Compana barley and Rescue 

 wheat, a resistant variety, have been planted with excellent results 

 in hundreds of thousands of acres where sawfly damage was 

 severe. The original two bushels of Rescue wheat obtained in 1944 

 from Canadian workers was increased to 1,250,000 bushels by the 

 fall of 1947, to furnish a sufficient supply of seed for seeding all 

 seriously infested acreage in 1948. An appreciable amount of the 

 1948 crop of Rescue wheat was directed into commercial channels. 



Just what effect the extensive use of Rescue wheat will have 

 on the overall problem remains to be seen. Where Compana barley 

 and Rescue wheat have been planted on individual farm units, 

 significant sawfly population reductions based on reduced damage, 



