THIRTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF STATE ENTOMOLOGIST 157 



history. Accordingly certain experiments and studies were under- 

 taken under the Federal Adams fund, which iiave resulted in gather- 

 ing- facts of the greatest importance. These will be prepared for 

 publication during the winter. 



THE ALFALFA WEEVIL 



General interest has continued in the efitort to prevent the intro- 

 duction of the alfalfa weevil into Montana from Utah, Idaho, and 

 Wyoming where it now exists. Several reports of the weevil in 

 INIontana have been looked up, but in no instance have we found 

 this insect, excepting in shipments coming from Utah. The work 

 of the lesser clover weevil {Phytonoinus ni§rirostTis) closely resem- 

 bles that of the alfalfa weevil and the larvae of the two insects are 

 very much alike. A destructive colony of the lesser clover weevil 

 appeared in the western part of the State this year and there is 

 small wonder that farmers were alarmed. 



Every efifort is being made to keep the alfalfa weevil out (;^f 

 Montana. If it should be introduced and if it should be as injurious 

 here as it is in Utah, where it is continuing to be very destructive 

 year after year, it would be a ver}' serious thing for Montana where 

 the alfalfa crop takes such a prominent place in the agriculture of 

 the State. 



Until further information is received, at least, it will be the 

 policv of this office to recommend maintaining a reasonable quar- 

 antine in order that the chances of introducing this insect may l^e 

 reduced to a minimum. 



THE WESTERN WHEAT APHIS 



The outbreak of army cutworms and the newspaper comments 

 upon it in various parts of the State directed unusual attention to 

 other i)ests of wheat. Farmers in looking for cutworms found other 

 insects and wrote us about them. Some of these are of considerable 

 importance. A number of reports of damage by the western wheat 

 aphis, Brarhjirohis tritici, were received. This insect was first 

 brought to our attention several years ago and as practically nothing 

 -was known regarding its life-history and the means of controlling 

 it we liaAC gi\en special attention to it. ^^ heat plants affected ]:)y 

 the wdieat aphis have a characteristic appearance which is easily 

 recognized when once seen. Young infested plants show a thick- 



