INSECTS OF ASPARAGUS, ASSAM RUBBER, ASPEN, AVOCADO. 



29 



Distribution: A. viaura; Hungary. A. simplex; Europe, North America. 

 SoRAUER, P. Handbuch der Pflanzenkrankheiten, 3d ed., 1913, p. 406, 407, fig. 252. 

 Chittenden, F. H. U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Ent., bull. 66, pt. I, 1907, pp. 1-5, 2 figs. 



Platyparaea pceciloptera Schrank. 



(Asparagus Fly. Trypetidse; Diptera.) 



Hosts: Asparagus. 



Injury: Mines the stems. 



Description and biology: Fly dark brown, abdominal segments banded whitish; 

 face, legs, and antennae reddish yellow; 

 wings clear with a dark zigzag longitudinal 

 band; length 6-8 mm. Maggot whitish, 

 apical stigmatal plates shining black with 

 two forward turned hooks; length 10 mm. 



Distribution: Europe. 

 SoRATJER, P. Handbuch der Pflanze >- 



krankheiten, 3d ed., vol. 3, 1913, p. 421 , 



422. 



B. OTHER IMPORTAXT ASPARAGUS 

 PESTS. 



HEMIPTERA. 

 Coccidae: 



Armored— 



Chionaspis berlesei Leonard!; Europe; attacks As- 

 paragus acutifolius and A . umbeJlaius. 



Fig. 17. — Asparagus miner (Agromi/za simplex): 

 a, Larva; 6, e, larval details; d, e, puparium; 

 /, injury. (Chittenden.) 



COLEOPTERA. 

 BrachjThinldse. 



CneoThinus plagiatus Schall.; a weevil, causes serious injury in England. 



LEPIDOPTERA. 

 Noctuidae. 



Mamestra oleracea Linnaeus; Europe; larvae feed on plants. (See Cabbage.) 



DIPTERA. 

 AnthoDiyiidae. 



ChoTtophila ciUcrura Rondani; Europe; breeds in stems. (See Onion.) 



ASSAM RUBBER. 



(Ficus elastica. Family Urticaceae.) 



Assam or India rubber is a native of Assam and the Malay region. It can be grown 

 from cuttings or seed. As it belongs to the same genus of plants as the fig, its insects 

 are treated under the discussion of that plant. (See Fig.) 



ASPEN. 



(Populus tremula. Family Salicaceae.) 

 AVOCADO; ALLIGATOR PEAR. 



See Poplar. 



(Persea gratissima, etc. Family Lauraceae.) 



This tropical American species is much prized for its large edible fruit, and is now 

 cultivated extensively in Florida and southern California. Several other species of 

 the genus are prized bj' the American trade for their evergreen foliage. 



