Montana farmer-stockman. [volume], March 15, 1954, Image 1

About Montana farmer-stockman. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1947-1993

Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT

                
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s Nearly 300,000 Acres of Alfalfa j
^ Montana Are Invested but
« t * . Weevil Control Is Not--"
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By ELLSWORTH HASTINGS
URVEYS and estimates show that nearly
300,000 acres of alfalfa in Montana are
infested with alfalfa weevil. These surveys
also show that this pest is still spreading
slowly westward and northward to take in
new areas year by year.
The Milk River Valley as far west as
Havre has a few weevil and at Malta they
have been found in damaging numbers on
the Milk River and in the dryland area just
south between the Milk and Missouri Riv
ers. This latter region is particularly heav
ily infested and is an area in which no con
trol measures have been practiced. The al
falfa-growing area along the Missouri be
tween Loma and Fort Benton is another
new area of infestation.
Populations of weevil have built up to
economic importance in the entire alfalfa
growing area of central Montana. Much of
this area, especially in Fergus County, has
become heavily infested during the last two
or three years. The weevil infestation in
this central Montana area—and this applies
to other infested areas as well—is not lim
ited to the valleys but occurs in isolated
higher fields as well.
In the survey completed in the spring of
1953 alfalfa weevils were found in every
alfalfa-growing area east of a line drawn be
tween Toole' and Gallatin Counties and, in
addition, they were found to be present in
damaging numbers in Madison County in
the vicinity of Twin Bridges.
While the weevil populations in Dawson,
Richland and Wibaux Counties still are rela
tively low by comparison with other areas,
S
Montana Winter Fair
SL
March 15-20
Bozeman, Montana
there i$|& very real possibility of popula
tions of economic importance developing in
the near future. The history of the weevil's
spread throughout western United States
from the Salt Lake Valley, where it was in
troduced in 1905, would indicate that trouble
might be expected.
The economic impact of alfalfa weevil
damage can be realized by a study of recent
data published by personnel of the Agricul
tural Experiment Station at Bozeman.
Through careful tests they were able to
show that in heavily infested areas losses
are sustained of from 0.5 to as much as 1.8
tons of forage per acre, depending on pro
duction levels. Good agronomic practices,
while they reduce the percentage damage
from weevil, do not result in preventing
large tonnage losses. The greatest tonnage
losses were found to occur in the heaviest
producing fields.
The past history of the field is the only
means of determining whether control is
necessary. Damage from weevil does not oc
cur all of a sudden but builds up in areas
Weevil Control Measures
When io apply—As soon as you can get
on to the fields in the spring.
Ground application—Four ounces of diel
drin or heptachlor in 8 gallons of wa
ter per acre.
Aerial Application—Four ounces of diel
drin or heptachlor in 2 gallons of oil
per acre.
N
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LIN
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through a period of years, and the alfalfa
weevil is not a sporadic pest which occurs
only once in a while. If it has become es
tablished in an area, damage from its feed
ing will invariably occur every year with
very little fluctuation in intensity from nat
ural factors such as adverse weather, para
sites, predators, etc.
The methods of control for this pest are
not at all difficult nor is the control applica
tion expensive, and the effort expended
where control is practiced is dramatically
rewarded. The control practice recommend
ed is strictly one of prevention. The adult
weevils must be killed in the early spring
before eggs are laid, and the earlier the con
trol measures can be applied the better the
results will be.
The adults lay their eggs in new green
growth and begin in most areas in early
April. It is not necessary to have new green
spring alfalfa growth on which to apply the
insecticide. The control works just as well
when materials are applied to bare stubble
before new growth starts. If it is warm and
sunny during March and the fields are dry,
start your control program. Don't wait until
inclement weather comes along and causes a
delay of days or weeks. Weather conditions
following the control application do not an
pear to have much if any effect on resid+s.
pear to have
(Please turn to page 33)