INSECT PESTS OF CIGAR-TYPE TOBACCOS 5) 
portance as plant-bed pests in this region during the last few years. 
In this locality these insects are usually not harmful to tobacco plants 
after they are set in the field, the damage being confined almost en- 
tirely to plants in the beds. The damage i 1s especially evident during 
periods of warm, wet weather, at which times mole crickets are most 
active near the surface of the soil. Favorable surface-moisture con- 
ditions may exist in the plant beds, however, even during dry weather, 
since in most cases the beds are kept moist by some form of irrigation. 
Observations show that in general these insects do not actually feed 
on the plants or their root systems, apparently being attracted to the 
beds mainly by the cottonseed meal used as fer tilizer. Injury to the 
plants results from the burrow- 
ing activities of the mole crickets 
just beneath the surface of the 
soil. Frequently many plants 
are uprooted and killed during 
the course of these burrowing 
activities, and in addition such 
burrows break the capillarity 
existing between the water table 
and the surface, causing the soil 
to dry out. This not only i injures 
or kills the plants already above 
the ground, but it may also pre- 
vent germination of the seed in 
the soil. The damage may be 
counteracted to a considerable 
extent by the use of overhead 
irrigating systems or by water- 
ing with a hose or sprinkling can. 
Water falling from above not 
only moistens the surface of the 
ground but also causes disturbed 
areas and uprooted plants to 
settle back into place. Since this 
is not fully effective, however, 
control measures must sometimes 
be used against these pests. Figure 6.—Adult changa (Scapteriscus 
Applications of poisoned bait vicinus), dorsal view, about * 214. 
usually provide satisfactory con- 
trol. The formula of a bait which may be used for this purpose is 
as follows: 
Pounds 
Cottonseed meal or corn meal____ PG nae Miele sh lage} e, 5 
Branvorvshorts. 22) 2 Aisa emer a ie 5 
Calcium arsenate or paris green Pie Hpac Se as A 
Water to moisten. 
The dry ingredients should first be mixed thoroughly to insure com- 
plete distribution of the poison. The mixture is then carefully 
moistened with water so that when a handful is pressed together and 
released it will fall apart with a crumbly consistency. Sirup_ or 
molasses may be added to the water in the ratio of 1 part to 10, but 
recent experiments have demonstrated that sirup does not increase the 
effectiveness of the bait. 
