138 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



May 



1917, 



INSECT NOTES. 



INSECT PESTS IN THE WEST INDIES 



IN 1916. 



The Annual Report on the prevalence of some pests and 

 •diseases in the West Indies during 191G will be published in 

 the West Indian BW/f^tra at a later date. Meanwhile it seems 

 advisable to give some brief notes on the more important in.sects 

 of the past year as observed and reported on by the Agri- 

 cultural Officers in the various islands. 



sui:ae-cane. 



The grubs of the Antigua brown hard back (Lachnostema 

 ap.) were common in thi northeasiern portion of that 

 island and were especially prevalent in the heavy lands towards 

 the central districts The Mycologist and the Entomologist 

 of this Department visited Antigua in March 191(j, and during 

 their visit the scoliid parasite, probably Tiphia pdvalltin. was 

 found to be established in a portion of the infested district. 

 The recommendations suggested for the control of the Lach- 

 nostema grubs included rotation of crops, better drainage 

 of all heavy lands, the application of pen manure where 

 available, the use of a trap crop, such as maize, the collection 

 of grubs, and the encouragement of insect [)arasites. 



An outbreak of froglioppers (Tomafpix saccharirin, 1 )is- 

 tant) occurred in (irenada in November and was investigated 

 by C. B. Williams, who went over from Trinidad. The frog- 

 hoppers were found to be fairly well distributed throughout 

 the i.sland, but actual damage ociurred on only two estates. 

 An account of the outbreak appeared in No. '■'i!<d of the 

 . A[/ricuUural Mews. 



Grasshoppers were very prevalent in St. Kitts early in 

 the year and caused much damage to the young canes in one 

 district. A poisoned bait of bran and Paris grten was 

 successful where used. 



The cotton worm {Alabama aiyillacea, Hiibn.) was 

 prevalent in iSt. Vincent and Antiaua, .severe attacks being 

 experienced in some localities. This insect also appeared in 

 Montserrat, but was effectively controlled by poisons In 

 St. Kitts very little damaye was done by this pest which was 

 materially controlled by tbe .lai-k Spaniard {Polistes crimtas). 

 Cotton ataimrs (Dt/sdticus delauner/i, Leth ) were a serious 

 pe,st during the year in St Vincent. The vigorous campaign 

 against them included the destruction of their wild food plants, 

 chietly the silk-cotton tree {Eriodindron anfiactuosuia) and 

 the .Tohn Bull ('/'hesj/ietnu pnpulnea). These insects were 

 prevalent in Mont.serrat towards the end of the year, but on 

 the whole did less damage than for many years. The 

 band picking of stainets carried out during the early part of 

 the .season seems to have had good results. Little damage 

 was done by stainers either in Antigua or St. Kitts 

 during the year. 



The leaf-blister mile {/'Jriopf/i/fs ;/oss>/pii, lianks) was 

 abundant on all cultivati<ins in the Virgin Islands Although 

 occurring generally in nio.st of the cotton growing islands, 

 this mite can no longer be regarded as a serious pest of 

 cytton. 



CACAO. 



The cacao thiips (fleliothripx rubi ocinvtus, Giard.) was 

 generally distributed and locally severe in Grenada and 

 St. Vincent, and can usually be found in St. Lucia and 

 Dominica. 



LIMES AND OTHER CITRUS TREES- 



Scale insects were generally pre.sent on lime trees ia 

 those islands where this crop is of any importance, but there 

 were no .severe attacks in 1916. In Dominica young trees 

 often sufl'er from these insects, but generally in places where 

 tie .soil is in poor condition. Assisted by good cultural 

 methods thi' trees can usually throw off these attacks. Ia 

 St. Lui-ia the heavy rains which fell from .Tune to ( )ctober 

 checked the snow and mussel scales, perhaps because 

 the conditions Were favourable for the development of 

 their fungus enemies. Serious attacks of the Liu tana bug 

 (Ortheiia inxupii.'', Dougl.)' occurred in the leeward district 

 of Montserrat from April to .lune, and were followed by 

 'black blight'. 



The bark borer [Leptostylus praeniDrsus, Fabr.) was 

 generally distributed in St. Lucia, and severe attacks occurred 

 in several districts of that island. 



Weevils belonging to the genus Diaprepres caused dam- 

 age to young lime trees in most of the citrus-growing islands. 

 The adults feed on the leaves of young trees while the grubs 

 damage the roots. In Montserrat and Antigua large 

 numbers of these beetles were collected and destroyed. 



Mole crickets {Scapteriscus didacti/iu.% Latr.) caused 

 .serious losses to lune seedlings in St. Lucia. 



INDIAN CORN OR MAIZE. 



Caterpillars were generally present on corn in all 

 the islands except Domipica and the Virgin Islands, and at 

 times they were .-serious pests in some localities. These are 

 usually I/eliothis nhsolela and //. armiijer. 



In St. Vincent corn was attacked hy Laphygiiia j'riigi- 

 perda, S and A., and by mole crickets. Both of these insects 

 were severe in some localities. 



The sugar cane moth borer (Diatraca sacchauilis, Fabr.) 

 is recorded as injuring corn in Grenada and Carpiacou. 



Grubs of the brown hard back {Lachnoslerna sp.) were 

 responsible for considerable damage to corn roots in the 

 central districts of Abtigua. 



COCO-N CTS: 



The coconut white fly (Ateiirudicus vorois, Curtis), 

 occurred in Grenada and Carriacou, and was common on young 

 palms in St. Lucia without doing any serious damage. 



Afpidioliis destructor, Sign., was generally distributed 

 in all the islands, except Montserrat and St. Kitt-s, and 

 .severe local attacks were felt in tlrenada, .St. Vincent and 

 the Virgin Islands. 



SW'EET POTATOES. 



The Si-aiabee or .lacobs {Euscepcs hatatae, Waterhouse) 

 was coniuion in potatoes grown on peasant holdings ia 

 .\ntigua, but those grown on estates were generally free 

 from this [lesl. 



The larvae of the small moth Sr/h'pta hekilalh were 

 reported as damaging sweet potatoes in .Vlontserrat. 



CRtiEN UKESSINCS. 



The larvae of the woolly pyrol moth {Aiilicarxi'i ( 2'hermesia^ 

 giiiiiii'italiit, Ijiibn.) attacked horie beans in .some parts of 

 Grenada, .and were destructive to Bengal beans in Montserrat 

 towards the end of the year. < freen dressings were attacked 

 by larvae of Balfovia fistipennis in St. Vincent, in some cases 

 severely. 



