Lancaster farming. (Lancaster, Pa., etc.) 1955-current, July 12, 1975, Image 63
Scientists Find Destructive Insects 100 Miles At Sea The corn earworm • Heliothii zea Boddle • may not win any popularity contest!, but it is a strong contender aa an Olympic champion at “tree flight." This moth can fly nonstop across 100 miles of water. To prove it, two en tomologists of USDA’s Agricultural Research Service equipped traps with ultraviolet lamps and placed Ppv/ AUTHORIZED \UJ SERVICE CENTER WISCONSIN & Vjfjjgßl7 BRIGGS-STRATTON NSW Wise. V465D 65 HP. with PTO Clutch Reduction Wise. VF4 25 HP. with PTO Clutch-Reduction (Hand Start) REBUILT A-C Dl4 Power Units AMOS L. FISHER RD#l,BoxloB Bird-in Hand. Pa. 17505 lutkoduclMg: ll&Watt Wdtckeni SAVE UP TO 50% ELECTRIC COST vm®Mv FAN HAS TEST PROVEN TO MOVE AIR FOR APPROXIMATELY % THE POWER COSTDLOTHER FANS ON THE MARKET TODAY. For Test Results, Write to: Tuscarora Electric Mfg. Co. Inc. Tunkhannock, PA 18657 Vent-O-Matic’s ♦.CONSTANT air flow • CORRECT air volume • CLOSE temperature regulation • CONTROLLED inlet; • PROPER pressure differential AGRI-EMIR. RD2 EPHRATA, PA 17522 (FARMERSVILLE) PHONE BUS. 717-354-4271 TUSCARORA ELECTRIC MFC. CO. them on unmanned oil drilling platforms 100 miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico; the com earworm, with other crop-destructive Lcpidoptera, found the mark. In an experiment designed to test the flight range of various pest insect species, battery-operated, black-light insect traps were installed 20, 40. 66. and 100 miles off "Total” System gives you: FOR: AUTHORIZED DEALERS LON6ACRE ELECTRICAL SVC. INC. Bally. Pa. (215) 845-2261 Tunkhannock, PA 18657 shore between Morgan City and Jeanerette, La. The traps captured more than 100 species of adult Insects from 7 different orders. Their common names make a shopping list in reverse for vegetable lovers: beet armyworm, cabbage looper, velvet bean cater pillar, com earworm. ARS entomologist Robert D. Jackson, U.S. Sugarcane Laboratory, Houma La., also cites the fall armyworm, large cotton leafworm, black cutworm, tobacco budworm, and the granulate cutworm as species captured. At the Southern Grain Insects Laboratory, Tifton, Ga., entomologist Alton N. Sparks reports that all four traps captured com ear worms - 27 at 20 miles, 16 at 46 miles, 8 at 66 miles, and 3 at 100 miles. The distance covered by insects in flight has long been studied by en tomologists. Many eradication experiments have been conducted with the assumption that isolation of a few miles was sufficient. “We discovered in 1972 that • COMFORTABLE temperature • FRESH clean atmosphere • GOOD mixing of incoming fresh air E. M. HERR EQUIPMENT, INC. RDI, WILLOW STREET 717-464-3321 /S' Wd* INC. the corn earworm could be captured in light traps on a television tower from 25 ft. to 1,047 ft. above ground," said Dr. Sparks. "Trapping records led us to believe that com earworms were capable of attaining controlled flight altitudes in excess of 1,000 ft. throughout the normal flight season." Controlled flight is flight controlled by the in sect, but which may be assisted by the winds. "We also found that the insect migrated a distance of at least 16 miles in one night and at least 45 miles in one to four days." This flight capability is particularly important because Heliothis zea is a prime target for sup pression. Former ARS entomologist Clinton L. Allen, currently a commercial helicopter pilot at Lafayette, La., observed the presence of insects many mites out into the Gulf. Dr. Sparks and Dr. Jackson, using a leased helicopter from the U.S. Geological Survey, followed this “tip” with a study to determine both the species of the insect and the distance from land the insects had traveled; The researchers placed funnel-type traps 15 in. in diameter and 18 in. high on four unmanned oil platforms in the Eugene Island area of the Gulf, 30 miles wide and extending ISO miles south of the Louisiana coast. A 1-qt. collecting container was placed below the funnel; one-half was filled with diesel oil or formalin solution to kill the captured insects. A 15-watt black-light lamp was secured in the center of four baffles. The lamps were energized by a 12-volt bat tery controlled by a photocell to operate between sunset and sunrise. All traps were placed on the platforms for 6 weeks during the fall. Cooperating oil field per sonnel on adjacent manned platforms exchanged and charged the batteries and changed the collecting containers. Entomologists Sparks and Jackson concluded that the majority of captured moths were traveling on a south bound cool front. “Regar- Lancaster Firming. Saturday. July 12, dless of that," said *Dr. Sparks, "these travels must have been controlled flights. Rig locations art clumped around salt domes on the Gulf floor • we could fly 10 minutes by helicopter without sighting a rig - and light traps are generally ineffective over a long distance." Why conduct the ex periment 100 miles over water? The trapping experiment clearly Indicated that much larger isolation areas may Klassy Klippers The Landisville Klassy (Clippers Gub met on July 3 at the Centerville Junior High School. Sarah Roth presided over the meeting with Linda Barrett giving the pledge. Sue Grim gave a report on her trip to the 4-H Leader ship Congress at Penn State. Debra Gregory gave a demonstration on modeling. Demonstrations were also given by Cindy Harr, Suzanne Coley, Debbie Risser, Janelle Gingrich, Linda Barrett and Debbie Hoover. Nancy Mays News Reporter BEEF SALES MONDAY 2:30 P.M. THURSDAY 12:00 NOON Sale Order - Fat Bulls, Steers, Stockers, Beef Cows and Veal Calves. NEW HOLLAND SALES STABLES, INC. Phone 717-354-4341 Daily Market Report Phone 717-354-7288 Abe Diffenbach, Manager Field Representatives - Bob Kling 717-354-5023 Luke Eberly 215-267-6608 be required for eradication program*. "We know, for imtance, that the insect* in this experiment did not originate 10 miles away," said Dr. Jackson. "There’s no in-between. And they were still able to react to stimuli - such as light - alter flying many miles." Destructive insects like corn carworms, the soybean looper, and the cabbage looper can reinfest areas from much greater distances than researchers had previously assumed. Busy Bakers The 4-H Busy Bakers Club met recently at the Church of God in Mt. Joy. Officers elected to lead the club were Gail Bukowski, president; Melissa Thompson, vice president; Lorretta Burkhart, secretary; Valeria Fahmstock, treasurer; Diane Martin and Karen Mummau, game leaders and Jodi Baker, song leader. The Gub will be meeting every Tuesday at the Church of God for their meetings throughout the next six weeks. Crystal Sweigart News Reporter If you have fat cattle or need feeders . . . THINK NEW HOLLAND 63 X 975—