378 



THE AGKICCLTURAL NEWS. 



November 30, 1918. 



INSECT NOTES. 



INSECT PESTS IN THE WEST INDIES 

 IN 1917. 



The E latest number of the Wes/ Indian Bulletin 

 (Vol. XVII, No. 2) contains, at page 83, a report on the 

 Prevalence of Some Pests and Diseases in the West Indies 

 in 1917. 



rV,,' This has been compiled from the reports of the 

 Agricultural Officers in the several i.slands of the Wied- 

 ward and Leeward Islands groups, and is the ninth in the 

 series, the last previous one, that for 1916, h'.viDg appeared 

 in the West Indian Bulletin, Vol. XVI, p. 309. 



The object of the present article is to review the portion 

 of the report dealing with insect pests, which was compiled 

 by Dr. J. C. Hutson, B.A., Ph.D., Acting Entomologist on 

 the Staff of the Imperial Department of Agriculture. 



SIJGAR-OAXE. 



The peste of sugar-cane were the same as in previous 

 years, and occurred to about the same extent. 



The moth borer (Diatraea suchamlis) was reported 

 as present in cane fields generally. Severe attacks were 

 noted in certain localities in St. Vincent and St Lucia; in 

 the latter island these occurred more particularly in the 

 naturally drained lands. 



The weevil borer (Metamtisius sericeus) was of general 

 distribution in St. Lu'ia and Antigua: in the latter island it 

 is stated that this pest i.s probably doing more damage than is 

 realized at the present time. No definite records are given 

 of the injury caused V.y the root borers, Diaprepes and 

 Exophthalmus. The adult beetles were present in those 

 islands where sugarcane is grown, but no mention is made 

 of the presence of the grubs attacking the underground 

 portions of the cane. 



In St. Kit!s large numbers of the adults of the insect 

 Excp/ithalmus esurient were found in the hearts of the 

 young canes in the hiiddle of the year, and on the experi- 

 ment plots at La OuiJrite quantities were collected and 

 destroyed 



The hard back grubs (I.achuusterna sp.) were common on 

 heavy lands in the central part of Antigua, and it is stated 

 that they are probably responsible for a considerable amount 

 of damage to the cane crop. 



White ants, or termites, were reported only from 

 Antigua, where they occurred on limestone land, but were 

 not regarded as serious pests. In St. Kitts, where attention 

 was first attracted to the attacks of white ants on sugar cane 

 on certain estates, they were not reported in 1917, and they 

 seern to be dying out. 



The cane fly {Stenoeranus [Delphax | snci/uirivoms) 

 was not recorded from any of the islands. 



In fJrenada the froghopper {Tomas/>is sticc/iurina) did 

 not -ipread to cause any exiension of the infested area, 

 and the degree of inft-station was less severe than io 191G. 



In St. L'lcia rnealybugH were recorded as being 

 common in cane fields, grasshoppers were of general distribu- 

 tion and caused slight irjurict^, while a small beetle is record- 



ed as doing a fair amount of damage to the blades of young 

 cane plants. 



The young shoots of the cane were attacked by the grass- 

 looper {^emigia repanda) in Dominica, and grasshoppers 

 caused a considerable amount of damage to young canes in 

 St. Kitts, and a small amount in Nevis. 



COTTON. 



The cotton worm {Alabama argillacta) is report- 

 ed to have been less severe in Montserrat than for 

 several years past, while in Antigua severe attacks of this 

 insect were experienced in October and November when 

 showers of rain washed off the insecticides applied, and, in 

 consequence, a considerable amount of damage was done, 

 especially to peasant-grown cotton. In the Virgin Islands 

 unusually severe attacks occurred late in the season. 



The corn ear worm {La/ltvxma frugiptrda) and the boll 

 worm {Heliotliis urmiger), were of general occurrence, but 

 appear to have caused no damage of consequence. Cotton 

 stainers, which are now known to be as.sociated with the 

 occurrence of internal boll disease, have assumed a 

 new importance. In St. Vincent, where active control 

 measures were in force in 1916 17, cotton stainers occurred 

 locally only where control measures were defective. In Bequia 

 their attacks were severe. 



In Montserrat they probably did less damage than usual, 

 while in St. Kins the cotton stainer was more in evidence 

 during the 1917 season than perhaps ever before. They 

 appeared about Novem^ser, and yielded to no endeavours to 

 reduce their numbers. For the first time flights of these 

 insects from field to field were noticed. 



In Nevis it was estimated thit cotton stainers ciused 

 serious damage by infecting cotton with internal boll 

 disease- 



The bush bugs (Xezani viridula and others) have been 

 studied in St. Vincent principally, and the relation of these 

 in.sects to cotton in that island has formed the subject of 

 articles in the West Indian Bulletin and Agricultural News. 



The green bug has been found capable of causing bolls 

 to be attacked by internal boll disease. Scale insects on 

 cotton are not generally considered serious pests, since their 

 attacks become severe late in the season, usually about the 

 time the crop is off and the old p'ants about to be destroyed. 

 In 1917 scale insects were reported as being severe in the 

 leeward districts where certain infested trees occurred near 

 cotton fields. 



The flower- bud maggot {Contarinia gossypii) was 

 recorded at the F.xperiraent Station, Tortola, where it occur- 

 red in the previous season. 



Leaf blister n)ite {Eriopliye^ gossypii) was ralhtr nioro 

 abun(iant than usual in St. Vincent, Aniigiia, and Nevis; in 

 all ca.ses this was due to carele.ssness in destroying old cotton, 

 or to planting cotton in the immediate neighbourhood of old 

 infested planlg. In St. Kitts this pest attacked cotton vvith 

 great severitj", and in one district caused some loss. 



In Antigua isolated attacks of aphis were recorded, la 

 Nevis the Laclinopus weevil occurred in localities on young 

 cotton, but caused little damage. Grasshoppers and the 

 common field cricket attacked young cotton in one di.strict in 

 Nevis. 



"JACAO. 



The cacao tbrips [Ilcliothrips ruhrocin.lus) was reported 

 as being severe in two islands only. In St. Lucia ii was 

 said to be locally severe, especially on lowlandf: and 

 in flrenida the attack was said to be milder than in 



