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42 stories matching insect
- The Great Hop Louse Debate of 1892
A scientific dispute over crop-destroying insects exposes the perils of amateur entomology in the Washington territory.
- The Invasive Species Warning
Local fruit inspectors warn that imported Japanese nursery stock is bringing destructive scale insects that threaten to devastate Washington orchards.
- The Mystery of the Apple-Boring Wasp
An entomologist from Pullman descends on Lynden to investigate a bizarre fruit-eating worm that defies known science.
- War Paint Against California's Buggy Fruit
Whatcom County hires a fruit inspector and vows to turn back insect-infested California produce before it reaches Puget Sound — and the piece urges Everett and Snohomish County to muster for the fight.
- The Unsung Heroes of the Fidalgo Island Orchard
A local farmer fights back against hunters, arguing that quail are essential allies against cutworms and pests.
- The Hidden Plague in the Grain
When an infestation of weevil hit the Cascade Oatmeal mill, Tacoma grain dealers scrambled to keep the news quiet—fearing it would destroy the port's reputation for quality.
- Grasshopper Plague Threatens Yakima Valley Crops
A rapid infestation of insects on the reservation has farmers fearing for their summer harvest.
- The Bug Inspector Who Called Himself a Crank — and Warned That Japanese Oranges Could Wreck Washington's Orchards
A King County insect inspector accuses the state horticultural commissioner of botching a fumigation order, then warns that the scale insects riding in on imported Japanese oranges could become "a curse to one of Washington's greatest industries."
- The Moth That Ate Washington's Apple Boom
Government experts blamed the codlin moth for ruining a quarter of the nation's apples each year. In Walla Walla and along the Snake River, some orchardists were already pulling up trees in despair.
- The Hop Louse War in the Yakima Valley
As the Yakima hop industry matures, growers face a new, permanent agricultural battle against the hop vine aphis.
- Northwest Fruit Growers Plan a Unified Front
Orchardists across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana seek to organize a regional union to challenge Eastern market dominance and manage local pests.
- The English Sparrow Has Invaded Seattle — and the Songbirds Are Next
An 1895 editorial warns that the imported sparrow, already a pest in Eastern cities, has reached Puget Sound and will drive out native birds.
- The Plague of Caterpillars on the North Side
A swarm of voracious insects descends upon Seattle's northern outskirts, stripping gardens and trees bare while defying all attempts at extermination.
- The Swarm That Stalled the Trains
A plague of army worms in a Washington swamp grew so thick they brought a locomotive to a grinding, slippery halt.
- An Entomologist's Dire Warning for Seattle Orchards
A local resident documents a massive infestation of scale and aphid pests, calling for a city-wide inspection to save Seattle’s fruit trees.
- The Orchardist Who Told the State Its Moth Spraying Was Useless
In 1898, a North Yakima grower argued that the state's codlin-moth spray schedule did not fit the Yakima Valley's climate—and warned that apple and pear growing might be doomed without better field science.
- The Hop Lice Menace on the Snoqualmie
As harvest approaches, farmers in the Snoqualmie Valley organize to battle an infestation threatening the region’s vital hop crop.
- A City Under Siege by Caterpillars
Citizens are struggling to find a way to exterminate millions of caterpillars that are stripping local trees bare.
- The Hop Louse War on the Green River
Farmers in the Puyallup and Green River valleys battle an infestation of hop aphids using new horse-powered sprayers.
- The Great Northwestern Migration
Economic promises and the promise of a new life draw thousands to Washington Territory, fleeing the hardships of the eastern plains.
- The 'Graveyard Bug' Threatens Kennewick Berries
Horticultural Inspector warns local growers that a destructive snout beetle is infesting regional strawberry patches and offers advice on how to eradicate it.
- The Fight Against 'Lousy' Nursery Stock
A state inspector battles unscrupulous Eastern nurserymen shipping pest-ridden trees into Washington, warning local farmers against being swindled.
- The Fashion Cost of Bird Extinction
A national wildlife advocate warns Tacoma women that wearing feathered hats is fueling a $800 million annual agricultural crisis.
- The Mosquitoes of Skagit
A local tale of insect infestation that challenges the visitor to believe the impossible.
- The Hidden Costs of Invasive Pests
A single discarded fruit box from California brought the destructive San Jose scale to a local orchard, illustrating the need for strict quarantine measures.