26 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Janl'aky I'S, 191S. 



INSECT NOTES, 



ENTOMOLOGY IN JAMAICA. 



{^Co/hiuded.) 



liananas on one estate in St. Mary were seriously attack- 

 ed by red spider, and considerable damage was done. Experi- 

 ments iu control by the use of lime sulphur spray and 

 'Black Leaf 40" were being carried out when the hurricane 

 of September 23, 1917, totally destroyed the field. 



Since the September hurricane, coconut beetles have 

 attracted considerable attention. The following species were 

 submitted to the entomologist: Stra/egus fifiti!us,Y., Meta- 

 miisii/i St'/ntus, Oliv., Sta/mi/s i/itersti/ia/is, Esch. , Afacraspis 

 Utradaetyla, L., and Stertwdoiitis damuornis. 



Strategus titaiius, the common rhinoceros beetle of the 

 colony, and Metamauus ierkeus are sugar-cane pests, and 

 both breed in the injured or decayed tissues of several plants. 

 Stumps of cut-over silk cotton trees are the most prolific 

 source of Strategus in Westmoreland parish, where these 

 trees are abundant, and are cut for making dugout boats by 

 the fishermen. Scalmus and ilacraspis were both found in 

 decaying stumps, and felled coco nut stems. Sternodontis 

 and Macraspis were often taken in injured coco-nut trees 

 after the storm, but their occurience is regarded as unusual 

 in such locations. 



iScile insect attacks on j-ounp coco-nut trees were con- 

 trolled by lime sulphur, 1:1-"). Pseudococciis >iipae, .Mask., 

 attended by ant.», was reported as being severe on newly 

 established trees, and damage to coco-nut foliage by the bag 

 worm (Oiketia/s sp.) was reported. 



A sticker for use in conne.xion with arsenate of lead and 

 arsenate of lime, applied as a spray to coco-nut crowns, is 

 recommended. This is rosin compound, 1 gallon to 40 of 

 the arsenate spray. 



Pine-apples were again badly attacked by the pine-apple 

 weevil {Mtlaiiiasius rikhui, .Marshall i in the infested dis- 

 trict. Kecommendations for control include the slashing 

 open <<i infested pines in order that they may ijuickly dry 

 out, planting only non-infested .suckers, and, where possible, 

 the establishment of new pineries, and the destruction of all 

 pine- in the old ones, which should be abandoned at least 

 for a time. 



Extended investigations by the entomologist again 

 failed to .show the presence of the Mediterranean fruit fly 

 (Ceratitis cnpilnta, Wied.), and the lonclusion is expressed 

 that this insect does not at present exist in Jimaica. 



Eruitis of the sweet sop (Anona si/iianiosa) were found 

 infested by the seed chalcid (liif'hraia cn/'ensis, Ashm ). This 

 insect occurs in Cuba and in l-'lorida also. 



The three-lined fig tree borer (^Ptychodes tri/iiiealiis, I,.) 

 is recorded. 



A twig girdling heeiie ((^Midi-res a'/tgu/a/a, Say), was 



recorded attacking the West Indian ahmmd (Titminalio cat- 



appa). The small branches and twigs which have fallen to 



the ground should be collected and burnt, as these contain 



he eggj and young grubs of the insect. Two beetles of the 



family Bostrichidae. Apat^ knhram. Pall, an African species, 

 and A. submedla, Wlk., are recorded. These apparently have 

 been in Jamaica for a long time The latter was bred from 

 orange and pomegranate. 



Caryobonis gonagro, F., a well-known Indian insect, is 

 recorded breeding in pods of tamarind. 



Termites have caused damage to stored lumber and 

 timber in lumber yards. The species concerned is Arrhiiw- 

 tcrinci simplex^ Hagen. 



The damage is practically confined to the sap «ood of 

 the cheaper grades of lumber. The remedy is storage in such 

 a manner, by means of concrete foundations and metal rails, 

 that termites cannot reach the lumber. Creosoted timbers 

 on concrete blocks may answer the purpose, provided the 

 concrete does not crack and give the insects means of access. 



Stored foodstutfs (grain and grain products) have 

 suffered from the attacks of the insect pests common to 

 this class of goods. The stores, from their location in the 

 heart of the inhabited sections of the city, and from their 

 faulty construction for the purpose, cannot be fumigated. 

 The amount of loss is considerable, and conditions of storage • 

 should be improved so that this loss could be avoided- 



A small brown cricket {Gryllodis sigillatus, Wlk.) 

 caused much damage by its attack on stored dress stuffs in 

 Kingsloil. This is the common house cricket of the colony. 



Roses were damaged by a Chrysomelid beetle which is 

 being described as Metaciiromo rosarum by Dr. G. A. K. 

 Marshall. 



A conspicuous red and blue beetle appeared in great 

 numbers on sugar-cane in St. James and the Vere section of 

 Clarendon. No injury to the canes was recorded. 



A fly {Hcrmctia iltiicens, L.), which occurs in insanitarj- 

 places, was reported from one estate. The remedy is to be 

 found in improved sanitation generally. 



A fulgorid {O/me/iis pirpiisi7///s. Wlk.) appeared abun- ■ 

 dantly on coffee in ^Manchester, but did no damage so far as 

 was observed. 



Other insects referred to in the report are: Aspidio/us 

 pinuii/ae, Newstead, on pimento; I'lec/'dhrips pa/fipas. Hood, 

 on pimento; Sparlaza-a fusai, Thb., on Irish potato foliage; 

 Diaphaiiia niiidalis, Cram., on cucumber and pumpkin 

 foliage; Pitiis sp., on cabbage foliage; Prodcnia dulkhos, L., 

 on turnip foliage; Fundella pilluum, Z., on cowpea pods. 



In addition to the notes on insects in the section devoted to 

 the report of the Entomologist, there is given in Section 3, 

 Agricultural Experiments, an account of the banana borer or 

 the black weevil b'.irer of banana {Cusmopolitcs sordidia). 



This presents a summary of the investigations in con- 

 nexion with the work carried out by the Department of 

 Agriculture in Jamaica into the habits and life-history, and 

 the methods of continl of this pest. 



The present distribution of the insect is limited, and is 

 centred in a di.strict to which bananas from Marliniiiue wfre 

 imported some seventy years ago. All indications are to the 

 effect that the banana weevil has been present in Jamaica for 

 many years. 



Good cultivation and clean management are said to be 

 sufficient to control the banana weevil enough to prevent its 

 exerting any injurious effect on commercial bananas. 



Hanana suckers for planting may be_disinfected by soak- 

 ing under water for lorty-eight hours. 



Domestic fowls eat the weevils readily, and small settlers 

 should be entourage.i to keep fowla, and to allow them to 

 forage among the bmiana plants. 



Sliced banana bulbs scattered about the fields as traps 

 for the beetles have been found very useful. 



H.A.B. 



