THE CHEERY GREEN BEETLE. 29 



fairly numerous. The largest species of this genus, 

 D. C/iildrenii, being found in Western Australia, whilst 

 the smallest is from Northern Queensland and New South 

 Wales. The present species has a wide range and is not 

 confined to our colony. It would, however, he of some 

 interest to know how far the other kinds are destructive 

 to orchardists. 



Prevention and Remedies. 



When this pest first makes its appearance, there is no 

 time to lose, as they swarm into an orchard after the 

 manner of a horde of locusts. Growers, if they will only 

 take the trouble, can easily anticijDate one of these visits, 

 as for days jDrevious to the general swarming a few stray 

 specimens, which have emerged early, may be seen 

 hovering around, more especially when the day is hot, 

 bright, and clear. When these "advance agents" are 

 seen, there is no time to be lost. All hands, children, too, 

 if there are any old enough to be of use in a garden, must 

 turn out. If there be any hawthorn or other green 

 hedges surrounding the orchard, light fires on the wind- 

 ward side so as to drive the beetles to the hedges where 

 they will usually settle for a while without much trouble 

 to the burners. When they settle, which they will do in 

 millions, take a torch roughly made and dipped in tar or 

 resin, fasten this to a long stick, and, when lighted, run 

 quickly along the hedges, beating gently as you go to cause 

 the beetles to rise, when enormous numbers will be either 

 burned outright or so disabled as to be quite harmless. 



In burning on hedges an exception must be made in the 

 case of hedges of prickly acacia, A. armata^ as this will 

 burn as well green as when dry, and on this immense 

 numbers may be killed by beating with boughs. 



One of the old and favorite remedies against the 

 attacks of this pest is to light fires, and thus smoke them 

 from the grounds ; this, although fairly efi'ective, is after 

 all but a half-hearted proceeding, as you simply drive 

 them into, perhaps, the orchard of a neighbour, and it 

 does not prevent the egg-laying. 



