BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY. 407 



The tachinid parasite Lixophaga (Eusenilliopsis) diatraeae, in- 

 troduced from Cuba in 1919 and 1920, was found in the fall of 192-2 

 to be present on 14 plantations out of 41 where releases had been 

 made. Since the parasites were released they have been found at 25 

 plantations altogether, but hardly a trace of them can be found in a 

 field after one or two hours' careful search. It seems that the para- 

 sites are merely able to survive without multiplying to any extent or 

 that they are attacking the moth borer over a wide radius from the 

 place of release. Hundreds of borers are collected every summer for 

 other experiments, but a parasite is never found among them. It is 

 worthy of note that one parasite of this species was found at Pass 

 Christian, Miss., though none was released nearer that place than 

 ]New Orleans, nearly 60 miles away. 



Experiments were conducted in soaking sugar-cane stalks in hot 

 water to kill borers before planting. Dr. E. W. Brandes, of the 

 Bureau of Plant Industry, suggested such work as a method of secur- 

 ing uninfested seed cane for an experiment station of the Bureau of 

 Plant Industry, and it was also his idea that the growth of the cane 

 would be hastened. An immersion for 20 minutes in water at 50° 

 C. was found to kill all borers and also to hasten the germination. 

 The treatment was satisfactory on cane planted in the fall, but many 

 eyes were killed on cane planted in the spring. 



Chemicals applied to planted cane to destroy borers in the stalks 

 liave not so far been found satisfactory. 



Life-histor}' studies are being conducted in cooperation with the 

 Mississippi State Plant Board on the new pink borer of sugar cane 

 found near Gulfport. More recently one specimen of this insect, 

 the adult of which is unknown, was found in corn near New Orleans, 

 but in the direction toward Gulfport. While the insect is capable 

 of considerable injury, its life cycle seems to be so prolonged that it 

 seems unlikely to become of any great importance. There is proba- 

 bly only one generation during the year. 



Work was done during the fall and winter at Cairo, Ga., in 

 mapping out the distribution of the sugar-cane mealybug, which 

 was not previously reported from that section. It was at first 

 thought that eradication might be possible, but the mealybug was 

 found generally distributed over the sirup-producing section around 

 Cairo. Experiments in controlling the ants in the fields, and thus 

 controlling the mealybugs which they protect, were started. 



The various pests of the rice plant and their control are being 



studied. J. T.T • 



A trip was made during the winter to the west coast ot Mexico 

 and Lower California in company with two employees of the Fed- 

 eral Horticultural Board. Information was secured on the dis- 

 tribution of sugar-cane insects, and a borer, Diatraea canella, was 

 found which had not previously been reported from Mexico. A 

 tachinid parasite, Phorostoma sp., was found in tunnels of sugar- 

 cane borers at Tepic. 



7S007— AGE 1923 27 



