FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 5, 1961 



INSECT SURVEY BULLETIN NO. 3 



This is the third in a series of weekly bulletins on the general insect 

 situation in Illinois (fruit insects excepted), prepared by entomologists of the 

 Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois College of Agriculture, and 

 cooperating agencies. It is designed to forewarn people in Illinois of impending 

 changes in insect activity and suggests abbreviated control measures. These re- 

 ports indicate only general trends. Each individual should check his own fields to 

 determine local conditions. 



Face flies ; These pests are about as numerous this week as they were 

 last week and will lay eggs for another generation of flies expected in late May or 

 early June. Controlling them now will materially reduce numbers this summer. 



For dairy cattle, apply DDVP commercially prepared face fly bait daily to 

 the animal's forehead for the next 2 to 3 weeks and then every 3 to 5 days as needed. 

 For beef cattle, use 5 percent toxaphene in a backrubber. Homemade backrubbers 

 work as well as the commercial ones. Run a taut line of h to 6 strands of barbed 

 wire from a post about 5 feet above ground to a stake in the ground about 9 feet 

 away, and wrap with gunny sacks. Saturate with the toxaphene solution. Place the 

 backrubber where it is readily accessible and will be used. Do not treat cattle 

 with toxaphene within 28 days of slaughter. 



Spittle bugs : The cool weather has retarded egg hatch. On fields war- 

 ranting treatment, insecticides should be applied in the area south of Highway 6 

 the week of May 8 and north of Highway 6 late the same week and the following week. 

 At least one or more spittle bug nymphs per stem should be present to warrant 

 treatment. The nymphs are small and it takes careful examination of the stems and 

 leaf sheaths to find them. 



To control spittle bugs, use l/4 pound of lindane or 1 pound of methoxy- 

 chlor per acre. Lindane does best when air temperatures are over 60 degrees. It 

 will also control clover leaf weevil and aid in controlling pea aphids. Do not 

 apply lindane within one month of harvest or pasture, or methoxychlor within one 

 week. 



Pea aphids : These pests are numerous in alfalfa fields in the southern 

 two- thirds of the state. No severe wilting from their feeding has been observed. 

 Insect predators of aphids are not abundant, but wasp parasites are becoming more 

 noticeable. With warmer temperatures a fungus disease of aphids will aid in con- 

 trol. 



To control pea aphids, apply one pound of malathion, l/k pound of para- 

 thion or phosdrin, or 1/8 pound of demeton. Allow one week between treatment and 

 harvest when applying malathion, 1 day with phosdrin, 15 days with parathion, and 

 21 days with demeton. Only one application of demeton can be made per cutting. 

 Demeton, parathion, and phosdrin should be applied only by operators experienced in 

 handling organic phosphates. 



Elm leaf beetles : These insects may soon appear in southern Illinois. 

 The small, dirty, yellow to black, spiny larvae will skeletonize elm leaves. They 

 are particularly severe on Chinese elms. To control them, use h to 6 pounds of 

 lead arsenate, 2 pounds of 50 percent wettable DDT powder or 2 quarts of 25 percent 

 DDT emulsifiable concentrate per 100 gallons of water as a spray. 



