6—Lancaster Farming
Saturday, July 29, 1961
Alfalfa Weevil
Reduced By
Helpful Wasp
A he'pful insect which
parasitizes the destructive al
falfa weevil in the West is
being released in several
Eastern States, a recent U. S.
Department of Agriculture
report says.
This effort to establish a
beneficial parasite (larvae o"
a V«-inch-long wasp) is aimed
at eventually reducing alfa fa
losses caused by the weevil.
In the past 10 years, the
alfalfa weevil has become a
serious pest of alfalfa in the
East. Prior to 1951, the weev
il was confined to Western
States where the wasp (Ba
thyplectes curculionis) is
present.
The adult wasp lays its
eggs in weevil larvae. The
egg hatch into larvae that
feed inside the host. After
the host spins a cocoon, it is
killed by the larval parasite.
Since most of the feeding
on alfalfa is done by
weevil larvae, the parasite
-doesn’t reduce the weevil’s
damage (mainly to first-cut
ting a’falfa) that year. Any
benefit will come through re
duced weevil populations the
next year.
This wasp was brought
from Europe to Utah in 1911.
It isn’t expected to produce
immediate results in the East
Entomologists -believe it will
take the insect several years
after it becomes established
to spread throughout Eastern
weevil-infested areas.
No Dramatic Results
Experience in the West
shows that the parasite wiT
not produce dramatic results;
weevil damage continues
there even though the wasp
is well established
There is little hope of com
pletely controlling the wee
vil by introducing the wasp.
But if it becomes established,
the number of weevi’s will
be reduced Nearly 90 per
cent of weevil larvae has
been parasitized in some
Western areas.
Efforts to establish the
wasp m the East were start
ed by ARS entomologists at
the Parasite Introduction
Station, Moorestown, N. J.
After being shipped from
„ California in 1959, the insect
was released in seven alfalfa
' fields in Delaware, New Jer
sey and Virginia. Parasitized
weevls were found a year
later in all the fields, indicat
ing the ability of the wasp
to survive in the East Wasps
are now being released in
other locations
Other Controls
Although the parasite helps
reduce further weevil popul
ations, there are other ways
to combat this alfalfa pest
Pesticides, such as malathion
or methoxychlor, provide
protection for alfalfa by kill
ing weevil larvae while they
are infecting the crop Many,
larvae die from exposure to
the sun’s heat at the time
the first alfalfa cutting is
made.
Weevil - resistant varities
of alfalfa may be developed
Preliminary experiments are
being conducted by State
and USDA plant breeders
and entomologists at Raleigh,
N C , and at the Agricultural
Research Center, Beltsville,
Md
ARS entomologists have
introduced other types of al
falfa weevil parasites from
Europe. One species kills
adult weevils; another para
sitizes weevil eggs However,
there is no evidence that
these parasites have become
established in the U. S.
One hour of farm labor
produces 4 times as much
food and fiber as it did in
1919-21 Crop production is
58 percent higher per acre.
Output per breeding animal
is 81 percent greater.
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priced in xne usual manner. Branching occurs where con- pr<! 15 canon, .National tonai •»»* •»
In some instani'es eggs by the dHions o! moisture, plant —— - getting th material
EGG PRODUCERS
IMPROVED QUALITY
EQUALS
GREATER RETURNS
Research is constantly in progress here at Early Bird to find wj
of increasing the efficiency of our laying rations.
THE AIM:
A. Improving the amino acid balance.
B. Energy content as related to protein content.
C. Optimum levels of vitamins and mineral for-
the
tification.,
Basic type research conducted by the many Agricultural-Experimental stations is constantly bei D
v'ew°'i in an effort to find methods of applying the findings to practical feed formulation.
INTERIOR EGG QUALITY
This photograph shows an important phase of
the program. Egg quality as indicated by albu
men height and recorded as Haugh units. The
maintenance of high Haugh units is necessary
for eggs to be classified as high quaUty eggs.
Consequently the various factors which affect
Haugh units are under constant investigation at
the Carly-Bird Research Farm.
\\\l I////
LOWER
Some of the phases covered in this field are:
fe -*■
v? ■**
COSTS
GREATER
This photograph depicts the experimental pens which p
mil close supervision of the birds as well as the coiect
of accurate data. Dr. Woodie Williams is looking ai st
of his girls.
Miller & Bushong
ROHRERSTOWN,- PA.
131. -
HIGHER QUALITY
RETURNS
D. Systems of feeding.
E. Egg handling techniques.
G. FACTORS AFFECTING OR IMPROVE
EGG QUALITY.
YOLK COLOR
Many buyers and consumers put consider!
emphasis on yolk color.
Through the use of a series of egg color ck
the exact effect of a particular feed ingredi
on the egg yolk color can be determined. 1
egg yolk co’or charts can be used to prodn
egg yolk color according to specification.
SHELL QUALITY IS ALL IMPOB
The qua'ity of fhe egg shell is affected
factors such as the calcium and phosphon
lent of the diet, temperature, etc. The 1
solutions of varying specific gravity help
mine the exact effect of temperature/ nUI
and other factors on shell quality.
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Ph. Lancaster EXpr fis!
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