DISTRIBUTION OF INJURIOUS INSECTS 63. 



The amount of damage done by it must be millions of pounds 

 a year in the collective countries. 



Fortunately, many of our colonies are alive to the importance 

 of this subject. The Codling Moth Act of Tasmania, passed in 

 1884 and amended in 1891, has been so far successful that the 

 colony is now almost free of this pest. All possible steps are 

 taken to prevent its importation. 



Natal has also legislated concerning the importation of this 

 and other fruit pests. An Act (Law 15) was passed in 1881 " To 

 regulate the introduction in this country of plants or cuttings 

 which by reason of disease or otherwise might be injurious to 

 the interests thereof." The benefit of this legislation we see in 

 the case of the Codling Moth. Natal is one of the few countries 

 where apples are grown in which the Codling Moth does not 

 occur. It has been said to do so, but I am informed that 

 these statements are erroneous. Mr. Fuller, the Government 

 Entomologist, has shown that the diseased apples have been 

 attacked by Fruit Flies. 



Why is this ? Simply because, under the Act referred to> 

 a proclamation (79, 1897) was made prohibiting the introduction 

 of all plants, portions of plants, cuttings, and anything taken 

 off or from apple trees in the island of Madeira. Later, all 

 diseased apples were prohibited coming from any region. Under 

 these powers we find that in September 1903 seventy-five cases 

 of Portuguese apples were destroyed ; in September 1904 

 thirteen baskets of apples from Madeira were immediately 

 reshipped on account of this pest. As a result, the colony is 

 kept free from one of the most insidious apple and pear enemies 

 the grower has to put up with. 



The same is done in New Zealand, where 2,257 cases of 

 apples were destroyed in 1901. In 1904 we find that the 

 authorities in the Hawaiian Islands, acting under legal powers, 

 destroyed all infested apples sent there. 



It is almost useless to deal with this insect in a country 

 unless protection is given from invasion from without. 



The other important insects distributed in fruit are the 

 numerous species of Fruit Flies {Trypctidce). Different species 

 attack a great variety of fruits, such as apples, pears, peaches, 

 citrus fruits, guavas, bananas, etc. There are three genera that 

 are destructive as Fruit Flies — namely, Dacus, Ccratitis, and 

 Trypcta. The former has clear wings with one or two dark 



