| Show www www v w v with your county agent 1444 alfalfa weevil serious problem since coming to Gartl eld county as county agent my attention lias has boon to tho the serious sor loua iia damage niage which is 4 being done to farmers throughout this area as aa A result of alfalfa weevil ve evil tile tho serious seriousness noss of post pest lb in such that an acquaintance by all farmers should bo be had as to its origin its ufa life cycle tb the a plans that tire aro attacked tho the damage ilone done methods of recognizing the tha weevil and how to control it investigation liaa has boon been made throughout the county and tho the la Is known to bo be in ovary every area the amount of weevil damage varies froni from year to yeal as aa the weather and seasonal con vary seasons leagons undoubtedly have as aa much effect on light alfalfa hay crops as 03 does the weevil studios studies throughout the abo state that year indicate that as a result of late spring and of poor weather conditions condition tho the alfalfa crop Is front from 60 50 to 76 75 per cent cant normal on the first crop of hay bay tho the alfalfa weevil Is ig ono one of tho the main factors along with tho the weather which has caused tills decrease le crease in growth alfalfa Is 19 the favored food plant ot of the alfalfa weevil although it will also feed on several native leg umea the damage of tho the weevil Is waded by tho the larvae or wor worms nis they rhey have biting mouth parta ent eat the fol foliage lago feeding at first arst takes place in the growing tipa of the alfalfa plant or in the young budo buda in the young buds buda the tiny larvae eat cava lavaties cavat loa ties irl in which they bury themselves later t on 1 l feeding extends to the le lealoa a v e s f from r om which tile the green outer buter cover la Is oaten eaten intensive damage usually makes the alls of tho the plants appear colorless and ana makes them look as though they have been frost injured all ot of this feeding seriously interferes with the normal nornam growth and development of the plants and ro re stilts in reduced hay yield the amount of weevil damage which may occur in a season bowon do ponds ponda largely upon t the he number ot of weevil that survive winter hibernation it la Is tholo over wintering females foi nales which lay the eggs the following spring arid give rise to the injurious larvae there are four stages of growth connected with tile the weevil as follows 1 the bootie beetle la is a light brown in color and about 31 cilia of an inch long with a conspicuous long snout projecting downward from tile tho underside of the head this Is the adult which over winters in the litter within the alve alfalfa crowns in surface cracks of the ground under rubbish and other protected pla cesIn alfalfa fields 2 this adult lays em eggs the adult stings the base of the alfalfa and lays laya its eggs inside the stem each female lays from to more than 1000 eggs during the season kason W with 1 t it favorable weather conditions these will hatch out within a week or ten days during colder conditions it may bo be delayed ag long as three weeks 3 A newly hatched worm or larvae la Is about of an inch long with a greenish yellow body and a black head when full grown it to la about of an inch long and lighter green in color than the alfalfa these larvae feed in the buds until they develop to about of an inch in length the feeding period la Is about one 4 then it crawls down the plant or falls off and spins a net like cocoon within the curl of ft a dead leaf or on litter in the alfalfa crowns this cocoon develop cevelo into an adult which Is IB carried avor until the next year thero there I 1 la S but one generation of in a year since alfalfa weevil Is hero here to stay definite control measures should be practiced in order to maintain a decent crop of alfalfa the tha most successful means of control lg Is spraying or dusting with calcium ot of about 3 pounds to the acre tha sprayer dust dual settles on the leaves where the eats cats it and death results 1 to tho the when damage exceeds the bhoj growth of the alfalfa plant then the boat best bitne for applying the dust has past one dusting a year it if done at the abage UI of development of tho the weevil la Is sufficient to control it there Is ig a dusting machino machine in the county rind and it can bi bet obtained by getting in touch with thomas sevy any one who ta la having serious trouble with ehla pest peat should investigate and find out control measures there is a complete comp loto exhibit on ell the weevil in 11 tile the county agento office anyone who has the kimt should examine tills this exhibit and themselves with thil post any help or tt assistance Istance that enn can be gl gien en in tills this or any other matter thalmay that tha may hell hel tile the farmer Is aval abla county agricultural agent |
