In cooperation with Illinois State Natural History Survey.Cover title

Petty, Howard Bliss

White, C.E.

IDEALS @ Illinois

Control of spittlebugs on legumes

Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning and Scholarship Repository

o·~ ,:.,i' C!. ..,Control of SPITTLEBU(iS"N"/~ rfiEB 4 on L E (i U M U~KSI[Yvr&--'" Spittlebug froth about twice natural size Circular 689 By H. B. Petty and c. E. White UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE Extension Service in Agriculture and Home Economics in co­operation with ILLINOIS STATE NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY AIRY F ILLINOIS pRICUL TURE 'N AGRICULTURE ONOMICS T H E  M E A D O W  S P I T T L E B U G  h a s  b e c o m e  a  r e a l  t h r e a t  t o  h a y  p r o d u c t i o n  i n  I l l i n o i s .  F o r  s e v e r a l  y e a r s  t h i s  i n s e c t  h a s  b e e n  r e d u c i n g  h a y  y i e l d s  i n  O h i o ,  I n d i a n a ,  a n d  W i s c o n s i n ,  a n d  n o w  i t  i s  s o m e t h i n g  f o r  I l l i n o i s  f a r m e r s  t o  w o r r y  a b o u t .  W h a t  i s  t h i s  s p i t t l e b u g ?  I t  i s  a  t i n y  i n s e c t  t h a t  c a n  c a u s e  a  b i g  l o s s  i n  c l o v e r  a n d  a l f a l f a  f i e l d s .  I t  a p p e a r s  i n  l a t e  A p r i l  a n d  e a r l y  M a y  i n  a  t i n y  m a s s  o f  f r o t h .  I n  l a t e  M a y  a n d  e a r l y  J u n e ,  i f  y o u  s e e  m a s s e s  o f  f r o t h  l i k e  t h a t  p i c t u r e d  o n  t h e  c o v e r ,  c l i n g i n g  t o  t h e  s t e m s  o f  a l f a l f a  a n d  c l o v e r  p l a n t s ,  y o u  k n o w  y o u  h a v e  t h i s  b u g .  T h e s e  m a s s e s  a r e  q u i t e  n o t i c e a b l e ,  s o  y o u  a r e  n o t  l i k e l y  t o  h a v e  t r o u b l e  f i n d i n g  t h e m  i f  t h e y  a r e  i n  a  f i e l d .  Y o u  m a y  a l s o  s e e  t h e m  o n  s o m e  o t h e r  c u l t i v a t e d  p l a n t s  a n d  m a n y  w e e d s .  T h e  y o u n g  s p i t t l e b u g ,  w h i c h  d o e s  t h e  m o s t  d a m a g e ,  c a n  b e  f o u n d  w i t h i n  t h e s e  m a s s e s  o f  f r o t h .  W h a t  m a k e s  t h e  f r o t h ?  T h e s e  i n s e c t s  e x c r e t e  f i n e  d r o p l e t s  o f  a  l i q u i d  w h i c h  i s  a l m o s t  p u r e  p l a n t  s a p .  T h r o u g h  t h e s e  d r o p l e t s  o f  s a p  t h e y  e x t e n d  a  t i n y  a i r  t u b e .  W i t h  t h i s  t u b e  t h e y  g r a s p  a  s m a l l  a m o u n t  o f  a i r  a n d  b r i n g  i t  b a c k  t h r o u g h  t h e  s a p .  T h i s  c o n t i n u a l  a c ­t i o n  c a u s e s  t h e  f r o t h  t o  f o r m .  T h i s  f r o t h ,  b y  t h e  w a y ,  p r o t e c t s  t h e  s p i t t l e b u g  f r o m  i t s  n a t u r a l  e n e m i e s .  H o w  m u c h  d a m a g e  d o  t h e s e  b u g s  d o ?  T h e y  w i l l  c a u s e  h a y  l o s s e s  v a r y i n g  f r o m  s l i g h t  t o  2 5 %  o r  m o r e ,  d e p e n d i n g  o n  h o w  h e a v i l y  t h e  f i e l d  i s  i n f e s t e d .  T h e  b u g s  s t u n t  t h e  p l a n t s  b y  s u c k i n g  o u t  t h e i r  s a p .  I n  t h e  h e a t  o f  t h e  d a y ,  h e a v i l y  i n f e s t e d  p l a n t s  w i l t  a n d  t h e  d a m a g e  c a n  b e  q u i t e  s e v e r e .  A l s o ,  w h e r e  i n f e s t a t i o n s  a r e  h e a v y ,  t h e  h a y  m a y  m o l d  u n l e s s  i t  i s  c u r e d  i n  t h e  f i e l d  f o r  a  l o n g e r  t i m e  t h a n  n o r m a l ,  a n d  t h e  l o n g e r  c u r i n g  m a y  c a u s e  f u r t h e r  l o s s  o f  l e a v e s .  ( 2  )  6 30·7 ..rC6c. rvo , r;, ~9 -);z ()What is their life cycle? c .).,3 Meadow spittlebugs (Philaenus eucophthalmus (L.», go through the winter in the egg stage. In late April or early May the eggs hatch into tiny yellow to coral-colored insects. By careful exami­nation they can be found in a tiny mass of froth about the size of a pinhead in the crown or in a folded leaf of an alfalfa or clover plant. As the plant grows, the spittle­bugs travel upward, seeking the tender new growth which is their food. The young bugs remain in Young bugmasses of froth on the plant. On reaching maturity, the insects emerge from the froth. The adults are light-to-almost-black wedge-shaped insects about 1'4 inch long. They appear to be hard-shelled and jump readily when disturbed. From late June through August the adults wander to other plants or weeds in fields, along roadsides, .and in fence rows, feeding on whatever they find. In lateAdult: % inch long .August and early Septem­ber they return to alfalfa and clover fields. Here they lay their eggs on the grain stubble, old pieces of cornstalk, weeds, and clover plants. The egg masses, consisting of 2 to 20 eggs, are glued on with froth behind leaf sheaths and in similar pro­tected places. Eggs All three of the above pictures are greatly enlarged, that of the eggs somewhat more than the others. The egg mass shown here was actually about 1fa inch long. (3) Situation in Illinois During the fall of 1951 spittlebugs were abun­dant north of a line from Crawford county to Peoria and Rock Island counties (Areas 1 and 2 on map). In Area 1 the 1952 infestation is expected to be general, and many fields are likely to be heavily damaged. Farmers in this area should be prepared to use insecticides, if necessary, to reduce the loss of hay. SPITTLEBUG INFESTATION 1952 In Area 2 spittlebugs will be found in most fields. Although fewer fields than in Area 1 will be seriously affected, many may benefit from treat­ment. The 1952 infestation threatens to be heavier than any we have seen in the past. Fields hardest hi t will be those in a first-year hay crop. Second­and third-year hay fields will be infested but not so severely damaged as those in the first crop year. To the south and west (Area 3) infestation is markedly less than in the rest of the state. (4 ) W h a t  c o n t r o l  m e a s u r e s  c a n  b e  u s e d ?  I n s e c t i c i d e s  w i l l  c o n t r o l  t h i s  i n s e c t  i f  c o r r e c t l y  t i m e d .  F o r  t h o s e  w h o  n o t i c e  h e a v y  i n f e s t a t i o n s  t o o  l a t e ,  t h e  o n l y  s o l u t i o n  i s  t o  c u t  t h e  h a y  e a r l y  a n d  a l l o w  i t  t o  d r y  m o r e  t h a n  u s u a l  b e f o r e  p u t t i n g  i t  i n  t h e  b a r n .  T h e  e a r l y  c u t t i n g  a n d  d r y i n g  w i l l  k i l l  m a n y  o f  t h e  b u g s ,  a s  t h e y  r e q u i r e  t e n d e r ,  j u i c y  g r o w t h  i n  o r d e r  t o  s u r v i v e .  I f ,  w h e n  t h e  i n f e s t a t i o n  i s  e x t r e m e l y  h e a v y ,  t h e  h a y  i s  n o t  a l l o w e d  t o  d r y ,  m o l d  m a y  a p p e a r  a r o u n d  t h e  s p i t t l e  m a s s e s .  W h a t  i n s e c t i c i d e  c a n  b e  u s e d ?  L i n d a n e ,  B H C  ( b e n z e n e  h e x a c h l o r i d e ) ,  a n d  t o x a p h e n e  a r e  t h e  t h r e e  i n s e c t i c i d e s  n o w  r e c o m ­m e n d e d .  A p p l y  l i n d a n e  o r  B H C  a t  t h e  r a t e  o f  2 /  1 0  p o u n d  o f  t h e  g a m m a  i n s o m e r  p e r  a c r e  ( s e e  l a b e l  o n  c o n t a i n e r ) .  A p p l y  t o x a p h e n e  a t  t h e  r a t e  o f  1 ; . - ' 2  p o u n d s .  L i n d a n e  i s  p r e f e r r e d  b e c a u s e  i t  i s  l e s s  l i k e l y  t o  l e a v e  r e s i d u e s  o r  o d o r s  o n  t h e  p l a n t s  a t  h a r v e s t .  T h e  a m o u n t  o f  w a t e r  t o  u s e  w i l l  d e p e n d  o n  t h e  d e l i v e r y  o f  t h e  s p r a y e r ,  b u t  a t  l e a s t  1 0  g a l l o n s  p e r  a c r e  i s  p r e f e r r e d  w i t h  g r o u n d  e q u i p m e n t .  I f  s p r a y i n g  i s  d o n e  a t  t h e  r i g h t  t i m e ,  e i t h e r  a e r i a l  o r  g r o u n d  e q u i p m e n t  a n d  e i t h e r  h i g h - p r e s ­s u r e  - h i g h - g a l l o n a g e  o r  l o w - p r e s s u , r e  - l o w - g a l l o n ­a g e  s p r a y e r s  c a n  b e  u s e d .  W h e n  s h o u l d  s p r a y  b e  a p p l i e d ?  L a t e  A p r i l  o r  e a r l y  M a y ,  w h e n  a l f a l f a  i s  a b o u t  4  t o  6  i n c h e s  h i g h ,  i s  t h e  t i m e  t o  s p r a y .  U s i n g  ( 5 )  a l f a l f a  a s  a  g a u g e ,  t r e a t  c l o v e r s  a t  t h e  s a m e  t i m e .  I f  a  f i e l d  i s  s p r a y e d  t o o  l a t e ,  t h e  i n s e c t s  a r e  b i g g e r  a n d  p r o t e c t e d  b y  f o l i a g e ,  t h u s  h a r d e r  t o  k i l l .  F u r ­t h e r m o r e ,  l a t e  t r e a t m e n t s  m a y  p r e s e n t  a  r e s i d u e  p r o b l e m .  A t  t r e a t m e n t  t i m e  t h e  s m a l l  s p i t t l e b u g s  w i l l  b e  f o u n d  i n  t i n y  m a s s e s  o f  f r o t h  i n  t h e  c r o w n  o f  t h e  p l a n t  o r  i n  a  f o l d e d  l e a f .  A l t h o u g h  y o u  m a y  n o t  b e  a b l e  t o  s e e  m a n y  o f  t h e s e  b u g s ,  t h e r e  u n d o u b t e d l y  w i l l  b e  m a n y  e g g s  s t i l l  t o  h a t c h ;  a n d  i f  t i n y  m a s s e s  o f  f r o t h  a r e  n u m e r o u s  i t  w i l l  b e  a d v i s a b l e  t o  t r e a t .  ( F a l l - t r e a t m e n t  o f  s t u b b l e  f i e l d s  w i t h  I V 2  p o u n d s  o f  D D T  p e r  a c r e  t o  k i l l  t h e  a d u l t s  b e f o r e  t h e y  l a y  t h e i r  e g g s  i s  b e i n g  s t u d i e d . )  W h a t  a b o u t  r e s i d u e s ?  L i n d a n e  a n d  B H C  a r e  n o t  l o n g - l a s t i n g  i n s e c t i ­c i d e s .  I f  t h r e e  w e e k s  e l a p s e  b e t w e e n  s p r a y i n g  a n d  h a r v e s t i n g ,  t h e r e  w i l l  b e  l i t t l e  d a n g e r  o f  a n y  r e s i ­d u e .  A l s o  m a n y  o f  t h e  l e a v e s  o n  t h e  p l a n t s  w h e n  s p r a y e d  w i l l  n e v e r  b e  p u t  i n  t h e  b a r n .  I f  t o x a p h e n e  i s  u s e d ,  a l l o w  f i v e  w e e k s  t o  e l a p s e  b e f o r e  h a r v e s t .  W h a t  p r e c a u t i o n s  s h o u l d  b e  t a k e n ?  L e g u m e s  c a n  b e  d a m a g e d  b y  2 , 4 - D  a n d  2 , 4 , 5 - T .  A n y  s p r a y e r  u s e d  f o r  e i t h e r  o f  t h e s e  c h e m i c a l s  s h o u l d  b e  c l e a n e d  t h o r o u g h l y  b e f o r e  i t  i s  u s e d  f o t  s p r a y i n g  a  l e g u m e .  M i x  a m m o n i a  w i t h  w a t e r  a t  t h e  r a t e  o f  1  g a l l o n  t o  4 9  g a l l o n s  o f  w a t e r .  F i l l  s p r a y  t a n k  w i t h  t h i s  s o l u t i o n .  T h e n  s t a r t  s p r a y e r ,  a n d  w i t h o u t  r u n n i n g  t h e  m a t e r i a l  t h r o u g h  t h e  b o o m ,  r u n  i t  b a c k  t h r o u g h  t h e  t a n k  s e v e r a l  t i m e s .  T h e n  s p r a y  a  l i t t l e  t h r o u g h  t h e  b o o m ,  s h u t  o f f  s p r a y e r ,  a n d  l e a v e  i t  o v e r n i g h t .  N e x t  m o r n i n g  s p r a y  r e s t  o f  t a n k f u l  t h r o u g h  t h e  b o o m .  F i n a l l y ,  r i n s e  t a n k  t h o r ­o u g h l y  a n d  c o m p l e t e l y  s e v e r a l  t i m e s  w i t h  c l e a n  w a t e r .  A p p l y  l i n d a n e  o r  B H C  t h r e e  w e e k s  b e f o r e  h a r ­v e s t  - t o x a p h e n e  a t  l e a s t  f i v e  w e e k s .  H a n d l e  i n s e c t i c i d e s  c o r r e c t l y .  K e e p  t h e m  o u t  o f  t h e  w a y  o f  l i v e s t o c k  a n d  o u t  o f  r e a c h  o f  c h i l d r e n .  F o l l o w  t h e  p r e c a u t i o n s  l i s t e d  o n  t h e  c o n t a i n e r .  J a n u a r y ,  1 9 5 2  U r b a n a ,  I l l i n o i s  C o o p e r a t i v e  E x t e n s i o n  W o r k  i n  A g r i c u l t u r e  a n d  H o m e  E c o n o m i c s :  U n i ­v e r s i t y  o f  I l l i n o i s ,  C o l l e g e  o f  A g r i c u l t u r e ,  a n d  t h e  U n i t e d  S t a t e s  D e p a r t ­m e n t  o f  A g r i c u l t u r e  c o o p e r a t i n g .  H .  P .  R U S K ,  D i r e c t o r .  A c t s  a p p r o v e d  b y  C o n g r e s s  M a y  8  a n d  J u n e  3 0 ,  1 9 1 4 .  1 8 M - 4 8 9 0 0  

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Control of spittlebugs on legumes

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