ANIMAL LIFE 



367 



as corn, wheat, and oats. They pass the winter in any field 

 shelter such as thick grass. In the spring they lay their 

 eggs on the young grain plants. The young bugs suck 

 the sap of the plant, and if they are very numerous, the 

 plant will be killed. The best method of attack on the 

 chinch bug is to burn 

 over places which are 

 possible winter quarters 

 for them. 



The Hessian Fly. - 

 These flies are mosquito- 

 like insects which are 

 quite destructive to grow- 

 ing wheat. They live in 

 the larval state upon the 

 growing plant. They lay 

 their eggs on the leaves 

 of the young plant in the 

 fall of the year. The 

 small larvae which hatch 

 work their way into the 

 joints and by gradually 

 absorbing the sap they 

 greatly weaken or en- 

 tirely destroy the plant. 

 The larvae change in the 

 late autumn to the pupal stage and resemble a flax seed 

 in appearance. In this stage they pass the winter, 

 changing in the spring to full-grown Hessian flies. These 

 lay the eggs for another generation of larvae which attack 

 the wheat in the spring. 



It is quite difficult to combat the Hessian fly. The 

 mosf successful method has been the trap crop. Narrow 



urn 



7. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 

 FIG. 329. The Chinch Bug. 



