664 C. B. HAEDENBERG. 



it appeal's. The infested plantations can be recognised at 

 a distance by tlie reddisli-brown colour. This condition 

 remains until the end of the feeding period (end of February 

 and first half of March), after which the tree has a chance to 

 grow again, provided the conditions as to rainfall are favour- 

 able. Generally, however, the rains practically cease by the 

 beginning of March and the trees remain bare until the 

 following spi'ing. This means, apart from other considera- 

 tions, the loss of a full season's growth ; and where thousands 

 of acres are affected, the commercial loss is very considerable. 



E. Parasites and enemies. — Four species of Hymeno- 

 pterous parasites have been bred from the caterpillar of A. 

 junodi, and the same number of Tachinid^e. None of 

 these have as yet been determined. The total number of 

 bagworms killed by these various parasities amounts to only 

 about 24 per cent, under the most favourable conditions ; so 

 that, from an economic point of view, they are not of great 

 importance. 



Predaceous enemies. — Amongst these, insectivorous 

 birds take first place. The Yellow Weaver Bird has been 

 observed to be an industrious destroyer of bagworms in the 

 fall, watching for the caterpillar to expose itself when feeding 

 or crawling, when with a quick jerk the insect is pulled out 

 of its bag. Fuller mentions the Little Silver-eyed Bird of 

 the thorns as " carefully examining the lower entrance of the 

 bag to capture, perchance, an emerging male or waiting 

 female, or even the young caterpillars." Alice Pegler in 

 'Grocott's Penny Mail,' mentioned above, states that Sprews 

 are the chief robbers in the Cape Province, while Mr. T. M. 

 Mackenzie has reported to me that a small green parrot 

 occurring in the plantations will break off a twig to which 

 the bagworms are attached, tear open the bag with its strong 

 beak and eat its contents ; but I have not been able to observe 

 this myself. 



During the resting stage in the Avinter-time many of the 

 bagworms are devoured by rats. This is especially the case 

 in young and grassy plantations. The bag is gnawed open. 



