-2- 



On warm days throughout the winter, adult alfalfa weevils have been depositing 

 eggs in alfalfa stems. A few larvae can be found now. Except in extreme southern 

 Illinois or on steep south or west slopes, damage will not be visible for another 

 2 or 3 weeks . > 



Damage will be severe in almost all alfalfa fields south of a line from Paris to 

 Alton. Moderate to heavy damage will occur in most alfalfa fields north to a line 

 from Watseka to Springfield to Hardin. 



Egg laying has just begun, and a recent egg survey in east-southeastern Illinois 

 shows that 35 percent of the alfalfa fields already have enough eggs for poten- 

 tially severe larval damage. This indicates that a severe alfalfa weevil problem 

 can be expected this spring. 



Much attention has been given the brown recluse spider dur- 

 ing the past year. It is yellow to dark brown in color , 

 about 1/2 inch long, with a distinct fiddle-shaped dark 

 marking behind the "head." It was first found in 1959 in 

 Carbondale and Harrisburg, as far north as Sullivan by 1965, 

 and as far north as Chicago by 1967. (See attached map.) 



This spider is usually found in dark places in the home; 

 closets , crawl spaces, and other dark storage spaces are fav- 

 orite spots. However, the spider is not aggressive and does 

 not attack; it tries to escape when disturbed. When pinched 

 (as in clothing, gloves, or bedding), it will bite. Consult 

 your doctor about any such bites . 



Note fiddle -shaped 

 dark marking behind 

 the "head." 



We are trying to catalogue the distribution of this spider and others, and we will 

 identify all spiders sent to the Natural History Survey in Urbana. Send specimens 

 in alcohol to Dr. John Unzicker, Room 93, Natural Resources Building, Illinois 

 Natural History Survey, Urbana, Illinois 61801. Include your name, address, and 

 where the spider was found. Dr. Unzicker will reply as quickly as time permits. 



North of Highway Route 36, corn rootworms are a common topic of conversation. 

 Several new insecticides for application at planting time are on the market. 

 Dasanit was not included in the printed Illinois recommendations of December 31, 

 1967, because it did not have federal label approval. Recently, it received this 

 approval, and is now recommended for rootworm control in Illinois. We classify 

 it in the same category with phorate, BUX ten, and dyfonate. 



Plant pathologist M.P. Britton states that during the past few weeks, there has 

 been a rash of questions on brown stem rot of soybeans and the reason for its 

 build-up. Under Illinois conditions, a build-up of brown stem rot of soybeans 

 occurs when beans are grown for several years successively in the same field. Red 

 clover in a rotation has not been shown to be a factor in the spread of brown stem 

 rot of soybeans. However, since red clover can be infected by the fungus, we do 

 not think that soybeans should follow red clover. The normal practice, of course, 

 is to follow red clover with corn. 



CAUTION: REMEMBER— READ THE INSECTICIDE LABEL AND FOLLOW ALL PRECAUTIONS CAREFULLY. 



This weekly report was prepared by H.B. Petty, Steve Moore, Roscoe Randell, and 

 Don Kuhlman, Illinois Natural History Survey and University of Illinois College 

 of Agriculture, in cooperation with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, Plant 

 Pest Control Branch, from information gathered by entomologists and cooperators 

 who send in weekly reports from their own localities. 



