26 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Jasvaky 17, 1914. 



INSECT NOTES. 



SUMMARY OF ENTOMOLOGICAL INFOR- 

 MATION IN THE YEAR 1913. 



For several years now it has been customary to present, 

 in an early number of each volume of the Agricultural Kei'-s, 

 a brief review of the main facts of the entomological informa- 

 tion which appeared in the Insect Notes during the previous 

 jear. Such a summary for 19 1 -J was given at pages 26 and 

 42, \o\. XII; that for 1913 is given herewith. 



During the year under review the reports of the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture in Barbados (p. -58), British Guiana (pp. 

 206 and 282), and St. Croix (pp. 362 and 378) have been 

 areviewed, as has also the report of Mr. Bodkin, Economic 

 iiologist, British Guiana, on hia visit to the United States 

 Xinder the provision of the Carnegie Scholarship Fund 

 ^pp. 340 and 362). 



Accounts were given for the first time in Vol. XII of 

 two insect pests which seemed to have very considerable 

 possibilities in the direction of doing damage. These were 

 the lime twig borer {Elaplddion mite), which at the end of 

 1912 appeared as pests of limes in Antigua, and a small moth 

 aiot yet determined, the larva of which injures oranges in 

 Utouiinica. Other insect pests recorded in the West Indies 

 ■during the year were tho.se to which reference has been made 

 previously. 



A series of articles, six in number, entitled Root Borers 

 and Other Grubs in West Indian Soils pre.sented information 

 calculated to arouse interest in soil-inhabiting grubs, and to 

 a-esult in increased information in regard to these important 

 and little-known insects. These articles were reproduced, with 

 only slight changes in the text, but with the addition of 

 a good series of photographs, in the form of a Pamphlet 

 issued as No. 73, of the series published by the Imperial 

 Department of Agriculture. 



In the case of most of the pest.- of the year it may be 

 convenient to refer to them under crop headings. 



SUGAI:. 



In Barbados (see p. 5S; the root borer (Diaprepes 

 tiUrei'iatus) continued to be the principal pest of sugar- 

 cane. This in.sect is abundant only on a restricted area 

 in that island, but causes serious injury year after year. 

 The need of concerted action in carrying out a course of 

 3-emedial practice by all planters in the infested area 

 is strongly emphasized. A small mite {IVn-soiu^ns spinipis) 

 is recorded as causing 'rust' areas on the sugar-cane stalk. 

 The nature and extent of the injury caused by this mite 

 do not appear to be known. It is stated to be controlled 

 "by the larva of a Staphylinid beetle. 



In British Guiana, on one group of estates (pp. 200 

 and 282) the systematic campaign was still being carried on 

 «<»ainst the giant moth borer (C'asfnia liciis). the collections 

 of the adults, larvae and pupae reaching enormous figures, 

 -with a consequent improvement in the condition of the 

 <;ane fields. 



The collection of eggs of the moth borer {Diatraea spp.) 

 .still continues and is believed to yield good results. These 

 insects, the small moth borers, are considered to be the most 

 serious pest in British Guiana. 



Termites come next in imrortance to the Diatraeii 

 borers. The nature of the attack in the case of the British 

 Cuiana termites is different fiom that experienced in 

 St. Kitts (refer to Vol. XI. p. SS^V Flooding the field is 



etlicacious wherever practicable as a method of control, and' 

 destruction of nests is recommended as worthy of constant 

 practice. Suggestions are made as to the value of natural, 

 enemies, the importance of cane selection and improved 

 estate practice, especially the reduction of the amount oE 

 ratooning. 



In St. Croix (D.W.I.) (p. 378) the most important 

 insect pest of sugar cane was the rhinoceros beetle (Strategns- 

 titanus). A simple and efficient remedy, however, seems to 

 have been devised by the Director of the Department of 

 Agriculture. This consists of a mixture of megass (100 B>.> 

 and Paris green (3 lb.) thoroughly mixed together and used 

 as a poison bait. The rhinoceros beetle being a scavenger 

 eats the poison bait readily and is killed by it. This is 

 another instance of an insect, originally harmless in its 

 habits, becoming a pest under changed conditions. A root 

 borer grub (see p. 394) similar to that in Barbados is known 

 to occur in St. Croix. 



Mention is made of sugar-cane pests in the United 

 States by the Government Biologist of British Guiana 

 (see p. 346) who visited that country as a Carnegie scholar 

 under the direction of the Imperial Bureau of Entomology. 

 The attacks of sugar-cane pests were less than in British 

 Guiana. The insects were for the most part the same 

 as or similar to those of the West Indies. The Argen- 

 tine ant (Iridomyrniex humi/if), which is a serious pest in 

 the southern part of the United States, does not oocur in the 

 West Indies or British Guiana. 



The sugarcane insect pests in Porto Kico were referred 

 to in the same report (p. 346). They are much the same as 

 the ordinary West Indian pests. 



Under the title Sugar-cane Pests in <:i)ueensland (p. 330)^ 

 will be found a review of a Bulletin on the Cultivation of Cane 

 upon old Lands, in which cultural methods of dealing with 

 sugar cane pests are discussed. Under the title Insects Liable 

 to Dissemination in Shipments of Sugarcane (see p. 305), 

 Circular No. 16.5 of the Bureau of Entomology, of the Uniteid 

 States Department of Agriculture is reviewed. These insects 

 are divided into groups such as moth borers, weevil borers, 

 scale insects and mealy- bugs, soil-inhabiting grubs and other 

 pests, of which the chief are the leaf-hoppers. 



The soil-inhabiting grubs including root borers and 

 hard backs were discussed in the series of Insect Notes already 

 mentioned, which appeared at pp. 106, 122, 108, 154, 170, 

 and 186, and as Pamphlet No. 73. Many of the insects 

 dealt with in these notes were pests of sugar-cane. 



In Trinidad, the froghopper {Tomaspis luria) continued 

 to be a serious pest during 1913. The newly discovered 

 parasites were noted, the use of nitrolim as a fertilizer and 

 insecticide, and of kerosene emulsion and the green Muscar- 

 dine fungus as insecticides for the control of this pest were- 

 mentioned on page 234; while on page 302 further reference 

 was made to the value of the green Muscardine fungus. 



This account will be continued in the next issue of th& 

 Agricultural Neivs. 



NOTES ON THE SILKWORM 



INDUSTRY. 



During the past year an attempt has been made to 

 encourage a trial of the silk industry in the West Indies, Eggs- 

 of a good strain of Italian (Milanese) silkworm were pro- 

 cured through the kindness of Mr. J. Henry Watson, 

 Manchester, England, and these were received ic Barbados 

 on May 5, 1912. It may be noted here that at the time of 



