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COLLEGE OF 

 AGRICULTURE 

 UNIVERSITY OF 

 ILLINOIS AT 

 URBANA-CHAMPAIGN 

 AND NATURAL 

 HISTORY SURVEY 

 URBANA, ILLINOIS 



MSEC! WEED & PLANT DISEASE SURVEY BULLETIN 



VTE/COUNTY/LOCAL GROUPS/U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COOPERATING 



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 



No. 16, July 16, 1971 



This series of weekly bulletins provides a general look at the insect, weed, and plant 

 disease situation (fruit and aommeroial vegetables excepted) , along with suggested, 

 abbreviated, control measures. Each individual should check his own fields to deter- 

 mine local conditions. 



SAFETY 



Always be careful when mixing, applying, and storing pesticides. Know what you are 

 doing. Read the label, particularly the precautions, and follow the instructions 

 carefully. 



Fatal pesticide accidents on farms have remained very low, only one death in ten 

 years. This excellent safety record can be maintained if we treat all pesticides 

 with proper respect. These extremely valuable production tools can become dangerous 

 through carelessness or misuse. 



Accidents fatal to livestock have occurred, usually as a result of accidentally mix- 

 ing pesticide granules with feeds. Do not repackage pesticides. Keep them in their 

 original containers, which are properly marked. 



Fatal pesticide accidents in the home, although rare, are more common than those oc- 

 curring in agricultural production. Almost every year, in Illinois, one or two 

 persons --usually young children- -die because of accidental ingestion of pesticides. 

 Store pesticides where children cannot find them - -not under the kitchen sink, in the 

 refrigerator, in the medicine cabinet, under the table on the back porch, or in the 

 rubbish pile in the back yard. We have been studying pesticide accidents for ten 

 years. The places listed are the ones where children seem to find pesticides most 

 often. 



INSECTS 



GENERAL *,.tf 



The rains this past week have been very beneficial. Most plants can recuperate from 

 insect damage if growing conditions are good. For example, corn roots severely eaten 

 by rootworms will now recuperate rapidly. Additional roots will be produced, and the 

 plants will begin to straighten up. Yields may be affected only moderately. 



Rain may actually wash insects off the plants and even kill them. These recent rains 

 probably killed lots of mites, aphids , and newly hatched grasshoppers. 



Grasshoppers are still abundant in some areas. If the population is very high, apply 

 control measures now before the grasshoppers migrate to soybeans and corn. Refer to 

 previous bulletins for suggested methods of control. 



The rains will promote the growth of weeds and grass in the fence rows and along ditch 

 banks. This will feed the grasshoppers for a while, but sooner or later they will eat 

 up all the green growth and migrate in search of something else to eat. 



