1918] ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY ENTOMOLOGY. 59 



An account of this pest by Sehultz has previously been noted (B. S. R., 21, 

 p. 561). 



The banana moth (Notarcha [Nacoleia] octasema) and its control, S. 

 Leefmans (Dept. Landb., Nijv. en Handel [Dutch East Indies], Meded. Lab. 

 PlantenzieJcten, No. 23 {1916), pp. 23, pis. 6). — This report of investigations of 

 the banana moth deals particularly with its biology and control measures. 



The cranberry girdler (Crambus hortuellus), H. B. Scammell (U. S. Dept. 

 Agr. Bui. 554 (1917), pp. 20, pis. 7). — This is a report of biologic investigations 

 of C. liortuellus and means for its control made in New Jersey throughout a 

 period of nearly four years. 



This crambid, originally described from Europe, occurs tliroughout the United 

 States, Europe, and Canada, not being confined to cranberry-growing sections. 

 It is very abundant in the cranberry-growing districts of Massachusetts and 

 New Jersey and in the latter State especially the majority of the bogs show 

 more or less injury by it. That it has not become a serious cranberry pest in 

 Wisconsin is thought to be due to the fact that the bog floors are kept wetter 

 than those in eastern cranberry States. 



Its injury, which commences in early June and continues throughout toe 

 summer and fall until about mid-October, is caused by eating through the 

 bark of the runners Into the wood, often to such an extent that the runner is 

 completely severed. The lessened vitality of such vines is evidenced by the 

 foliage, which in September and October becomes fiery red or brown. Large 

 quantities of the leaves drop off! and the few which remain on completely 

 girdled vines become dry and drop during the winter, leaving areas of dead 

 vines, often as large as one-half acre, denuded of foliage. 



Under dry bog conditions moths appeared from May 11 to June 18 ; when the 

 winter flowage was removed on April 10 the moths began flying June 7, and 

 when withdrawn on May 10, the adults were first noticed from June 10 to July 

 8. The eggs are so minute that it is impossible to find them under natural bog 

 conditions. In rearing cages as many as 103 eggs were deposited in a single 

 day, 243 being the greatest number laid by a single female, though Felt records 

 as many as 700 (E. S. R., 6, p. 62). The incubation period of the egg varied 

 from 6 days in August to 18 days in June. 



C hortuellus is one of the species of Crambinse which defy all attempts to 

 rear the larvae, as previously noted by Ainslie (E. S. R., 35, p. 659), but the 

 investigations demonstrated beyond doubt that there is only one generation 

 annually in New Jersey. It was found that in New Jersey some larvae form 

 cocoons in late September and the majority in early October. Larvae in cocoons 

 are able successfully to withstand the usual winter flowage applied in Decem- 

 ber and held until the following April or May. Some few are able to with- 

 stand a flowage lasting until July, although an infestation is always greatly 

 reduced by such late holding. The cocoon is not impervious to water and 

 becomes filled with water about 3 days after submergence. Pupation occurs 

 after the removal of the winter flowage and is dependent upon the time of this 

 removal. On dry bogs it may occur in late April or May and on winter-flowed 

 bogs it may be retarded by late holding of the flowage until July. After pupa- 

 tion has occurred the bogs may be reflowed for several days without effecting 

 the death of the pupa. On one occasion a pupa in its cocoon wg^ found alive 

 on the bog after submergence for between 5 and 6 days. Records show that 

 the pupal stage lasts 21 days on the average. 



But few parasites attack the cranberry girdler, only two species of ichneu- 

 monids having been secured. Remedial measures mentioned include spraying, 

 repellents, burning, trap lights, late holding of winter flowage, fall flooding, 

 spring flooding, and sanding. Fall flooding immediately after picking the 



