1562 INSECTS ETC., INJURIOUS TO VARIOUS CROPS 



1153- P/jf/ag-athes /ae^i/s a Coleopteran Pest on the Peach Tree in South Africa. 



— GtJNN, D. ill Union of South. Africa, Dcpaitmcnt of A'^riculturc, Dii'ision of Entomo- 

 logy, No. 8, pp. 7-S, I Fig. Pretoria, igi6. 



Philagathes laetus is for the first time recorded as harmful to ]>eaoh trees 

 in South Africa. 



The adult attacks the ripe or ripening traits causing lesions of varying 

 extent. It may easily be caught b}^ means of a butterfly net. 



1 154 -The Plum Slug Caterpillar {Parasa latistriga), a Lepidopteran Pest on 



various Trees in South Africa. — Gdnx, D. in Umon of South Africa, Department of 

 Agriculture Division of Entomology, No. 7, pp. 1-7, i PI Pretoria, 1916. 



This insect, which is widely distributed throughout South Africa, at- 

 tacks apple trees, peachs, plums, nectarines, and oaks in the neighbourhood 

 of Pretoria, and it is certain that further work will increase the hst of its 

 plant hosts. 



The whole Hfe-cycle of Parasa latistriga is completed in 93 days in 

 the case of the first generation, and in 270 days in the case of the second. The 

 eggs are laid in groups on the under surface of the leaves. The larvae which 

 hatch out of them feed on the leaves and leave nothing but the veining ; 

 they then separate and emigrate to all parts of the plant. 



Among the parasites of this insect are some of the Hymenoptera belong- 

 ing to the family Ghrysididae, whose action is very restricted. Effective 

 preventive measures to be adopted against these larvae are applications 

 of lead arseniate in a paste or copper arsenio-acetate mixed with Hme. 



1 155 - Concerning the Fruit Fly {Ceratitis capitata), in Tunis (i). — Guillochon, i,. 



in Comptes Rcndus des Seances de V Academic d'A'^riculture de France, Vol. II, No. 16, 

 pp. \7JrM7- Paris, 1916. 



The writer gives an account of observations which he made in the Tunis 

 Experimental Garden on Ceratitis capitata (the Mediterranean fruit fly of 

 the Americans). The first mention of this fly dates back to 1898 ; the ac- 

 count given shows that the damage occasioned by the insect was confined 

 to slow ripening peaches, which points to the conclusion that Ceratitis in 

 the pupal state only develops after hibernation, at an average temperature 

 of 20 QP higher than that required for the ripening of early varieties of Ame- 

 rican peaches. 



The immunity is not however entirely a question of varieties, as a 

 matter of fact the early varieties that ripened late owing to transplantation 

 were attacked like the late varieties. 



The amount of damage done increased, and in July and August the writ- 

 er recorded the presence of larvae on peaches, apricots, kakis and aberias; 

 in August, September and October on pears and apples, and finally in De- 

 cember and January on oranges more especially on mandarins. 



Hennegu3''s plan of sticking a certain number of fruits on to each tree 

 with honey to act as traps, was followed without success, as was Trabut's 

 of making traps with a solution of colophony in alcohol with the addition of 

 castor oil. The writer then decided to have the fallen fruit picked up every 



(i) See also B. Ma\ 191 6, No. 604. 



