72 



mzmm 



,: - If 



; ' i 



*.f 



Fig. 78. Pink mealy bug 

 of the sugar cane. 

 Enlarged. 

 (Imperial Dept. Agric.) 



be classed among the seriou3 pests, but it is capable of 

 increasing to such an e vtent as to bring about a considerable 

 irnount of injury. In Louisiana, where it is fostered 



and protected by the Argentine ant 

 {Iridomyrmex humilis), this insect 

 lias developed into a very serious pest. 

 It occurs under the leaf sheath, where 

 it sucks the sap from the cane by 

 means of its slender mouth parts. 

 Sugar-cane, especially ratoon canes 

 suffering severely from root disease, 

 have been observed to be rather badly 

 attacked by the pink mealy-bug. 

 This circumstance may arise on 

 account of the possible fact that 

 canes suffering from fungus disease 

 are more suitable for the development 

 of mealy-bug than healthy canes, and 

 it may also result from the planting 

 of infested cane plants. The insects 

 introduced at the time of planting 

 would have had opportunity for development and would be 

 well established dining the early growth of ratoons. 



This insect has a general distribution throughout the 

 AVest Indies. 



Control. It does not often happen that any direct 

 remedial measures are necessary in dealing with the pest, 

 but the greatest care should be taken that no cuttings should 

 be used for planting which are infested by this mealy-bug. 



Natural Enemies. It is probable that the pink mealy- 

 bug is held in check by natural enemies, especially parasitic 



Hymenoptera. No definite record of 

 this parasitism seems, however, to be 

 available. 



THE SUGAR-CANE ASPIDIOTUS 

 (Aspidiotus sacchari, Ckll.) Hemiptera. 



This is a rounded scale insect of 

 a light straw colour (Fig. 79) which 

 occurs on sugar-cane, under the sheath- 

 ing bases of the old leaves, and some- 



!' 



'" w mi $ 



p 





HI 



Fig. 79. Sugar cane 

 aspidiotus. 

 Enlarged. 

 (Imperial Dept, Agric.) 



times underground. It is rarely 

 abundant, and probably does but little 



