Report of the Commissioners . een a very familiar insect. Its ravages of late have not beenvery serious, though it is heard of every year in some parts of the Province. Last yearit slightly affected the crops in Northumberland County, but I am not aware that it occur-red elsewhere. I have no doubt, however, that if we could make an estimate of the losscaused by this insect, it would be found to be still not inconsiderable. APPEARANCE OF THE HESSIAN FLY—HABITS. In appearance it is very similar to the midge (see Fig. 5) but itsmode of attack is entirely different. It appears first in the fall at
Report of the Commissioners . een a very familiar insect. Its ravages of late have not beenvery serious, though it is heard of every year in some parts of the Province. Last yearit slightly affected the crops in Northumberland County, but I am not aware that it occur-red elsewhere. I have no doubt, however, that if we could make an estimate of the losscaused by this insect, it would be found to be still not inconsiderable. APPEARANCE OF THE HESSIAN FLY—HABITS. In appearance it is very similar to the midge (see Fig. 5) but itsmode of attack is entirely different. It appears first in the fall atthe root of the fall wheat plant; its eggs are laid, and the larvaehatched out below the surface of the earth on the root, and therethey remain all winter, the brood appearing in the spring. Thereis a second brood in the spring which attacks the stalk, where theinsect is most generally noticed. Farmers hardly ever observe theinsect at the root, but every one who has observed it has seen it 5.\Mr. Bethune.^. 2() INSECTS AND INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS. modp: of attack. It attacks the stalk just above the first or second joint from tlie root, where it isenveloped by tlie leaves. The larvae vary in colour at different periods of their existence,being very pale at first, but afterwards of a deep chestnut colour. Their first attack ismade wlien the stalk is very tender and green, and they puncture it to extract the sap,the result being to cause a small depression where the larvjie remain. There may be fiveor six encircling a single stalk at one time, and the result of tlieii- combined efforts is toweaken and finally to break it, causing it to fall down, thus ruining the grain. « A TRANSFORMATION. After the larva has fed for a considerable time upon the stalk, it assumes what iscalled the flax-seed state, resembling in colour, size, and general appearance, a germ ofthe ordinary flax seed. In that state it continues for a considerable period, and it is car-ried from the f
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectagriculture, bookyear
