| Show ALFALFA WEEVIL STILL SPREADING LOGAN utah jan 6 A bulle tin recently issued from the agricultural college written ba b prof E G titus tells of the ravages of ol 01 the tile alfalfa weevil and suggests how to fight the little pest the present high price olf hay bay ia Is laid to this insect for nearly every county in utah has ff it its power the bulletin bays in part the alfalfa leaf weevil is a small oval brown snout bettle about three sixteenths of an inch long that is attach ng mg alfalfa in utah it is not a native species but has hag come to utah from europe it fieda on plants belonging to the alfalfa family injuring all parts 3 of the plant above ground the eggs are laid in the spring and earb summer in the stems or on the buda buds and levees and hatch in about ten days the young or larvae are small alfalfa greeh worms with a black head they never become much more than one quarter of an inch in length when full grown they feed on and in the leaf buds in the stalks and on the leaves the larvae have no true legs and have the habit of af feeding or resting in a curled position when full grown about fifty to siev days after hatching they go to the ground and spin around them a lace cocoon in which in about fourteen days they have turned into the full grown hard shelled adult this adult feeds on the stems leaves and buds for several weeks and in august goes into hibernation for the winter seeking any well sheltered place the insect now occurs in salt lake davis weber summit morgan wasatch utah and tooele thoele counties and threatens to eventually reach all our alfalfa growing regions 1 it spreads rapidly in the adult or beetle stage by flying in spring and summer and by being carried with articles shipped from an infested region and on railroads in wagons and automobiles traveling through the places where it occurs it is recommended that alfalfa le disked in early spring to stimulate it to better growth that the first growth be cut when the most of the eggs have been laid middle of may and then brush drag the field thoroughly sheep may be pastured on the fields at this time for two weeks and alfalfa then watered and a good crop will usually be a assured ared ur ed 4 gathering machines to capture V t larvae and beetles have given g d results when used on the fields at the time the insects are moet numerous fields should be brush dragged sam after the first crop has been cut all weeds and rubbish should be clean cleaned col from fields yards ditches and fence roa rows s so that there will be less c opportunity for the weevils to find er r shelter alfalfa should not be allowed to grow more than se seven en or eight years in infested districts |
