1920] ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY ENTOMOLOGY. 53 



The red spider mite and leaf thrips on the aA'Ocado and how they may 

 be controlled, G. F. Moznette {Fht. Groicer, 21 {1920), No. 5, pp. 8, 0, figs. 

 2). — The red spider mite and the greenhouse thrips are the source of con- 

 siderable damage to the avocado in Florida during the dry winter months, 

 usually froni the latter part of October until April. " Unlike most other red 

 spiders which attack various other fruits, the red spider of the avocado con- 

 hnes its attacks to the upper surface of the foliage almost entirely, [and] this 

 habit is also true of the thrips which infest the foliage of the avocado." 



Orchards with red spider soon appear as if scorched by fii'e or badly beaten 

 by the wind. The foliage attacked turns brown and drops prematurely. The 

 red spider and thrips are not usually found on the same leaf. The red spider 

 injury is the more severe. When they become active in the early fall while 

 the fruit is still on the trees and are doing serious damage, the trees should be 

 sprayed with fish-oil soap at the rate of 12 lbs. to 100 gal. of water plus black- 

 leaf 40 at the rate of 1 : 900 in the diluted soap solution. " If the red spiders 

 and thrips become abundant in the young grove which has not reached the 

 bearing stage, lime-sulphur should be usetl at the rate of 1 : 50 plus blackleaf 40 

 at the rate of 1 : 900 in the diluted lime-sulphur solution. If the thrips are not 

 present, the blackleaf 40 should be omitted. 



"After the fruit has been picked and where the spiders and thrips continue to 

 work, due to the temporary relief generally afforded by the use of fish-oil soap, 

 it will be necessary to spray again, using the lime-sulphur at this time at the 

 rate of 1 : 50 plus blackleaf 40 at the rate of 1 : 900 in the diluted lime-sulphur 

 .solution, the same as for the young gi'ove. During the winter after the foliage 

 has hardened, the writer has experienced no injury by the use of lime-sulphur 

 as recommended above. Where the thrips are not present at this time, it will 

 not be necessary to use the blackleaf 40 in combination with the lime-sulphur, 

 as it is incorporated mainly for the thrips." 



]\Iexican insects in poultry food: Mexican cantharides, Notonecta, 

 Corixa, and Berosus, T. E. AValeis {Analyst, 4^ {1919), No. 521, pp. 284- 

 287). — The author reports upon examinations made of poultry feeds containing 

 dried insects from Mexico. He finds that there is a regular connnerce in dried 

 insects from Mexico for use in poultry feeds, and that the chief genera present 

 iire Notonecta and Corixa in varying proportions. Poultry eat such insects with 

 avidity, and it appears that they form an excellent addition as a relish to poul- 

 try feed, no vesicant principle being present. 



Book lice or psocids, E. A. Back {U. S. Dept. Agr., Farmers' Bui. 1104 

 {1920), pp. 4, fid- 1)- — A brief popular account of psocids and means for con- 

 trol which should be resorted to when they become unusually abundant. 



Methods of controlling grasshoppers {Saslcatcheiran Dept. Agr., Weeds 

 (Did Seed Branch Bui. 60 {1919), pp. 8, figs. 2). — Methods of grasshopper con- 

 trol are briefly outlined, including working drawings of a grasshopper catching 

 machine. 



Changa or mole cricket (Scapteriscus didactylus) {Imp Dept. Agr. West 

 Indies, Rpt. Agr. Dept. St. Liwia, 1918-19, p. 8). — This insect is common 

 throughtout St. Lucia, having been a serious pest at the experiment station at 

 Ueunion, where it attacked new grass roads. Some of these roads, which wei-e 

 15 ft. wide and 600 ft. long, were totally denuded of grass and the soil worked 

 up to a loose fine tilth to a depth of 3 in. 



It is pointed out that where this pest occurs in small patches on lawns it is 

 easily checked by watering with whale-oil soap at the rate of 1 lb. to 5 gal. 

 of water. In this way large numbers are forced to the surface and they can 

 be collected. 



