218 NATURE STUDY AND AGRICULTURE 



These last look like small flies. What are the aphids 

 doing? Hold the leaf or stem on a level with the eye and 

 look closely at the head of the aphid to find the slender 

 sucking tube which is inserted in the leaf or stem. It is 

 just like the sucking tube of the squash bug. What kind of 

 food does the aphid eat, solid or liquid? Do you think 

 putting some poison on the surface of the leaf will kill the 

 aphid? Why? In order to kill these, something must be 

 used that will kill by coming in contact with the body. 

 Kerosene emulsion is a good remedy. How many legs 

 has an aphid? How do they hold their horns or an- 

 tennae? 



Did you find any other insects on the plants with the 

 aphids? You will often find ants. What are the ants 

 doing? The children may or may not be able to make 

 out that the ants are here to get something to eat. The 

 aphids throw out from their bodies a sweet liquid known as 

 honey dew. The ants are very fond of this sweet substance, 

 so that wherever you find plant lice you are almost certain 

 to find some ants. You will often find flies, also, sipping 

 the honey dew. 



Look at the roots of small stunted stalks of corn. You 

 may find some green aphids, the corn-root lice, on the 

 youngest, most tender roots. You are more likely to find 

 them in the summer, when the corn is growing vigorously, 

 than in the fall. You may also find a small brown ant 

 near the corn root, or perhaps nests of them in the corn- 

 field. Even if it is too late to find the corn louse this fall, 

 encourage the boys to look for it next year when the corn is 

 growing. Encourage them also to destroy any ants' nests 

 they may find in the cornfield or vicinity. 



