FRUIT INSECTS. 109 



Aleurodlcus cocols Curtis. 

 (Coconut White Fly. Aleyrodidae; Hemiptera.) 



Host: Coconut, banana, guava, "jicaco," Coccoloba uvifera. 



Injury: Serious pest in many parts of tropical America. 



DescripHon and biology: Adult varying in size and wing markings, wings marked 

 with two dusky patches; pupal case varies in size and is surrounded by a double row 

 of bristlelike hairs usually 13 to a side, also has one pair of long caudal hairs. Egg 

 about 0.29 mm. long and 0.11 mm. wide, with pedicel arising from side. 



Distribution: Barbados, Trinidad, Venezuela, Brazil, Mexico, Isthmian Canal 

 Zone, Yucatan. 

 Ballou, H. a. Insect Pests of the Lesser Antilles, 1912, p. 105. 



Nyslus vinltor Bergroth. 



(The Rutherglen Bug, Lygaeidse; Hemiptera.) 



Hosts: Grapes, cherries, phims, peach, grasses, etc. 



Injury: Stated to be one of the most destructive plant bugs in Australia. 



Description and biology: Adult 4-5 mm. long; dull brown to gray in color, with 

 silvery-gray wings; antennae barely two-thirds length of body and covered with hairs. 

 Breeds in grass lands and swarms over field crops and fruit trees in countless millions. 



Distribution: Australia. (See plate xxiii.) 

 Feench, C. Handbook of Destructive Insects of Victoria, 1S91, pt. 1, p. 105. 

 Froqgatt, W. W. Australian Insects, 1907, p. 334. 



sj; Heliotbrips rubroclnctus Giard. 



(The Red-Banded Thrips. Thysanoptera.) 



Hosts: Avocado (Persea gratissima) , mango (Mangifera indica), cashew, guava 

 (Psidium guajava), cacao (Theobroma cacao), Liberian coffee {Coffea liberica), wild 

 guava (Anacardium occidentale), roses, Mexican almond or umbrella tree (Terminalia 

 catappa), kola (Sterculia acuminata). 



Injury: Larvae and adults feed on both surfaces of foliage. May be introduced on 

 living plants. 



Description and biology: Egg stage varies from 6 to 17 days, larval stage from 6 to 20 

 days. Adult iemsiie about 1.11 mm. long and quite stout, color dark brown or black. 

 A red band is evident in the first and second larval stages, pupa and prepupa. (See 

 pi. X.) 



Distribution: Guadeloupe, French West Indies; Grenada, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, 

 British West Indies; Trinidad, Tobago, Virgin Islands, Mauritius, Ceylon, Uganda. 

 In addition to the above it is reported from Florida and was doubtless introduced. 

 Russell, H. M. U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Entom. Bull. 99, pt. 2, 1912. 

 Phyllopertha hortlcola Linnaeus. 

 (Scarabseidse; Coleoptera.) 



Hosts: Fruit trees and herbaceous plants. 



Injury: Destroys foliage and roots. 



Description and biology: Adult length 8-11 mm.; body depressed, hairj'; head and 

 pro thorax shining green; elytra golden brown or chestnut; ventral parts black. Ap- 

 pears in May and June (Italy). Feeds on leaves. The larva is a root feeder. Sil- 

 vestri states that the adults and larva? of this insect feed on leaves and roots of fruit 

 trees and herbaceous plants. 



Distribution : Europe . 

 SiLVESTRi, F. Dispense di Entoraologie Agraria, 1911, p. 311. 



