248 



Various small Beetles. Under this heading are included vari- 

 ous beetles and their larvae which attack the leaf-sheaths, causing- 

 the leaves to appear spotty when unfolded and the plant to appear 

 sickly generally. 



As a rule, they are in places which are inaccessible to insecticide 

 in the usual way, and more stringent methods have to be adopted in 

 dealing with them. All dead and badly affected sheaths should be 

 removed and all beetles and larvae thus discovered must be des- 

 troyed. A good plan is to burn the sheaths straight away. Some 

 reliable insecticide should then be dropped amongst the remaining 

 leaves and allowed to penetrate Avherever possible, this will effectual- 

 ly expel those remaining. Care should be taken in choosing the 

 insecticide as it is sometimes necessary to put it in close proximity 

 to tender parts of the plant. Soft soap, or tuba-root powder is 

 suggested for this use. 



(b) Cetonica maudarinca. The larvae of this chafer attack 

 the roots of tub and pot plants. The signs by which they can be 

 detected are a general sickliness in appearance of the attacked 

 plant, 



Treatriient. The plant should be turned out of its pot or tub 

 and all grubs destroyed. They are easily recognised by their dark, 

 dirty looking bodies and hard l)rown heads. After this operation 

 has been carried out the plant should be repotted in fresh soil and 

 a clean pot or tub. 



(c) Amatliusia phidippus (Large Coconut Butterfly).- The 

 larvae of this butterfly attack the leaflets usually of full grown 

 plants, leaving "only the midribs. The caterpillar is smooth, bright 

 green with a broad head and two projecting spikes on its tail. 



Treatment. The caterpillars should be picked ott' and destroy- 

 ed. Afterwards the plants might be sprayed with tuba root in- 

 secticide to prevent more depredations. 



Erionota Thrax. The larvae of this butterfly attack the leaves 

 of some palms causing them to roll up, after which they proceed 

 to devour them. The'caterpillar is about two inches long, pale sea 

 green in colour, covered with a mealy powder. 



Treatment. Pick off by hand and burn, afterwards spraying 

 with insecticide as in the preceding case. 



{d) Grasshoppers. These are. occasionally troublesome parti- 

 cularly to young plants. The best way of dealing with them is to 

 catch "them* in a butterfly net or with a stick dipped in bird-lime. 



{e-f) Coccids and Scale. Both of these pests are fairly abun- 

 dant. They are particularly troublesome to young plants, though 

 by no means coniined to them, as often quite large plants are 

 attacked. 



Treatment. These must be dealt with by hand. The best 

 way is to sponge them off the infected parts with a soft soap and 

 paraffin solution. 



(g) Thrips. These tiny insects arc very troublesome quite 

 spoiling the a])pearance of the new leaves, giving them a very 

 blotchy appearance. 



