STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
33 
In this country this grain aphis had never been observed, and it was not 
known that we had such an insect here, until last year, when it suddenly 
appeared in excessive numbers over all the New England States, arid the 
State of New York, except here in its western section, and also in the 
adjoining districts of Canada and of Pennsylvania. Throughout all this 
vast extent of country every grain field was invaded by it ; many of these 
fields were thronged and a portion of them were literally covered and 
smothered by this insect. 
This year it has moved westward, making its appearance in the same 
manner all over Western New York, Canada West, Northern Ohio, and at 
least, a portion of Michigan, as I judge from the numerous letters which 
have been sent me with grain heads containing this insect, and from the 
notices of it in the public prints, whilst at the East, where it was so 
numerous last year, it has measurably disappeared this year, so that, 
except in a few localities, it would not have been noticed had not every¬ 
body been so eagerly searching for it. 
But though this insect has only been noticed in this country the past 
and the present years, we do not suppose it has newly arrived upon this 
Continent. It has no doubt been present in our grain fields heretofore, but 
in such limited numbers, and so scattered about upon the growing grain 
that it failed to be observed. It is seventeen years ago that I began to 
examine the wheat midge, and in looking at that and other insects upon the 
wheat, I recollect I have occasionly seen this aphis. But as only two or 
three individuals of this kind were to be found at a time, I supposed it to 
be of no importance, and thus gave no attention to it, until it began to 
appear in such abundance the past year. 
Although it is a common habit of plant lice to become extremely numer¬ 
ous, at times, upon the particular kinds of vegetation which they respect¬ 
ively infest, we meet with no recorded instance in which one of these 
insects has been known to become so suddenly and excessively multiplied 
over such a vast extent of territory as has happened in our country with 
this grain aphis the past and present years. 
I suppose almost every person in this audience has seen these insects, 
crowded together upon the heads of wheat, of oats, barley or rye, and has 
observed that they were a kind of plant louse, similar to what we frequently 
see upon the leaves of cabbages in our gardens, and on the apple, the 
cherry; and other trees. As it resembles these common and well known 
insects so closely in its form, its motions and habits, it will not be neces 
sary for me to give any particular description of it. 
With regard to the mode in which it injures the grain, I would observe 
that it has a slender, sharp pointed bill or trunk, which it holds under its 
breast when this implement is not in use. With this it punctures the 
leaves and stalks of the grain and sucks their juices.. It therefore has no 
occasion to leave the particular plant on which it is born, as it always has 
an ample store of nourishment directly under its feet. Hence it has no use 
for wings to carry it, like other insects, from place to place in search of 
food. It needs wings for only one purpose, namely, to enable it to emi¬ 
grate to fields of grain which are unocupied, in order to start colonies in 
them. Only a small portion of these insects, therefore, acquire wings ; 
Aq. Trans. C 
