246 INSECT ENEMIES OF THE CODLING MOTH. 



been reijorted as a formidable enemy of codling larvae in Spain, 

 was introduced into South Africa by Mr. Loiinsbury, and was 

 brought from California by Mr. C. W. Mally in 1907. The 

 parasite was liberated in considerable numbers the followdng 

 year in Fransche Hoek and Stellenbosch orchards. The writer 

 failed to rear a single one from 600 codling larvae, collected in 

 the Fransche Hoek orchard from the bands of the unsprayed 

 badly infested trees during 1915-1916. Evidently the parasite 

 had succumbed to its new conditions. 



Other parasites, mentioned previously, were found in 

 negligible quantities. 

 The. Argentine Ant and its Relation to Codling Larv.t:. 



In the year 1916 several Argentine ants were incidentally 

 discovered in Le Roux's apple orchard, Stellenbosch. eating a 

 codling larva. Investigations were subsequently made to deter- 

 mine the relation of the Argentine ant to codling moth in 

 orchards infested by both. 



Forty codling larvae were placed above a hessian band on 

 the trunk and branches of an apple tree where Argentine ants 

 were present. Almost immediately the ants began to attack, 

 with the result that in 20 to 30 minutes all had dropped from 

 the tree but four, 22 dropping by letting themselves down by 

 a thread when touched by an ant, while the rest rolled ofif by 

 Avriggling when attacked. The four larvae left on the trunk were 

 attacked and held there by ants, and in three hours they w^ere 

 dead, while two of these were two-thirds eaten by the ants. 

 Forty ants were eating one worm. w"hile 22 were eating another. 

 At the end of three hours eight of the larvae dropped to the 

 ground had disappeared, while the rest were being attacked by 

 many ants. They were doubtless killed eventually. One larva 

 crawled into a hole in the bark, but in 20 minutes had wriggled 

 out again because of ant bites. 



In 1916-17 more attention was given to the question of 

 the influence of the ant on codling moth. Banding tests were 

 made in a pear orchard, and in Roux's apple orchard, where 

 ants existed. To determine the effects of the presence of the 

 ant on the trap])ing of worms in bands, sprayed fruit-bearing 

 apple and pear trees were supplied each with a single hessian 

 band to provide an attractive place or shelter for the codling 

 larvcC, at the same time allowing the numerous ants to pass 

 up and down the trees. Other neighbouring trees, bearing 

 approximately the same number of fruits, were supplied, each 

 with a single band, a few inches below which a band of tree 

 tanglefoot was placed around the trunk to prevent ants from 

 climbing the trees, and at the same time to allow codling larvae 

 leaving the fruit on the trees to pass down the tree into the 

 band. The pear orchard was not nearly as badly infested with 

 -Argentine ants as the apple orchard. Hundreds of ants were 

 constant])- in tlie bands nf the ai)i)le trees, passing up and 



