468 
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 
[Vol. 13 
COMBATING THE SUGAR BEET WEBWORM ON A 
LARGE SCALE 
By Asa C. Maxson, In Charge of Insect Investigations for the Great 
Western Sugar Co., Longmont, Colo. 
During the growing season of 1919 an outbreak of the sugar beet 
web worm (Loxostege sticticalis L.) occurred in the Rocky Mountain 
and intermountain states, which, when measured in terms of acres 
covered and damage wrought far exceeded any previous outbreak of 
this pest. 
In those portions of Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana and 
South Dakota which furnish beets for the Great Western Sugar Co., 
the first (June) brood of webworms covered 172,728 acres of sugar 
beets and the second (July-August) brood, 7,567 acres. 
The extent of this outbreak, which covered a total of 180,295 acres, 
afforded excellent opportunity to test the possibilities of cooperation 
between large manufacturing concerns and the people furnishing the 
raw material. The object of this paper is to outline the methods 
used by the Great Western Sugar Company in handling a campaign 
which covered a portion of four states. 
Early in the spring of 1919 preparations were begun to combat the 
webworms should they appear. These preparations were based upon 
the outbreak of 1918 which was the largest ever experienced up to that 
time. 
Inability to foresee that the outbreak of 1919 was going to cover an 
area five times that covered in 1918 was the cause of inadequate prep¬ 
arations. This added much to the difficulty and expense of fighting 
the worms in 1919 since many sprayers and much insecticide had to 
be purchased after the campaign was on. 
Organization. The entire campaign was directed by the general 
agriculturist of the Sugar Company. In carrying out the work the 
following departments and employees of the Sugar Company organiza¬ 
tion were called upon: 
The Purchasing Department. This department located and 
purchased all supplies of insecticide, spray machines and repair parts 
for the latter, and supervised their distribution and shipping. 
Sugar Company Entomologist. The repairing and general over¬ 
hauling of all old spray machines and the setting up and testing new 
machines was under the supervision of the Sugar Company entomolo¬ 
gist. General instructions were issued by him to the local manage¬ 
ment in the various factory territories regarding the time of spraying 
and quantity of insecticide to use. 
The entomologist was assisted by several men who were detailed 
