2 INSECTS OF ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE 



each other, their structure, habits, aud trausfornia- 

 tions. It is a work of research and pleasure and 

 forms the basis of economic entomolog-y. 



Economic entomology is research on the Hfe his- 

 tories and habits of injurious insects and the deter- 

 mination of some method whereby their ravag-es 

 may be avoided or controhed. 



LOSSES CAUSED BY INSECTS 



The losses caused by insects in the United States 

 alone are estimated to aggregate more than a bil- 

 lion dollars annually/ 



The value of the different crops and products 

 produced in 1909 in the United States is given in 

 round numbers in the following table, the figures 

 being taken mainly from the census of 1910. The 

 losses by insect pests are estimated to be at least 

 10% of the value of these products and in two cases 

 at least 20%. 



Percentage of Total loss 



Product Value in u)og loss by insects by insects 



Cereals 2,600,000,000 10 $260,000,000 



Other grains and seeds 97,000,000 10 9,700,000 



Hay and forage 824,000,000 10 82,400,000 



Tobacco 104,000,000 10 10,400,000 



Cotton and seed 825,000,000 10 82,500,000 



Sugar crops 62,000,000 10 6,200,000 



Minor crops 18,000,000 10 1,800,000 



Vegetables 418,000,000 20 83,600,000 



Fruits and nuts 222,000,000 20 44,400,000 



Flowers and plants. .. . 35,000,000 10 3,500.000 



Nursery products .... 21,000,000 10 2,100,000 



Farm forests 195,000,000 10 19,500,000 



Animal products 3,000,000,000 to 300,000,000 



Forests to - 100,000.000 



Stored products 10 ^ 200,000,000 



$1,206,100,000 



Quaintance estimates the annual loss to the de- 



1 Marlatt— Jr. Ec. Ent.. Vol. 4, p. 109. 



2 Hopkins— U. S. Bu. Ent., Bull. 58, Ft, 5. 



3 Estimated. 



