February, '13] PORTO RICAN CONFERENCE 149 



The second meeting of the Entomologists of Porto Rico was held at 

 the U. S. Agricultural Experiment Station at Mayaguez, P. R., Nov. 

 26, 1912. The meeting was called to order by C. W. Hooker at 9.45 

 a. m. and the following papers read and discussed: 



1. D. L. Van Dine: Entomologist of Sugar, Expt. Station, Rio Piedras: May-Beetles 



of Porto Rico. 



There are at least six species of May-beetles in Porto Rico where we expected 

 only three or four at the most. Determination is difficult and only possible with 

 a long series of alcoholic or properly dissected and mounted specinlens, hence it will 

 be a long time before we can distinguish the different species or their larvae with 

 any certainty. 



2. W. V. Tower: Entomologist, Board of Agriculture, San Juan: Quarantine Work: 



(read by Mr. Grossman) . 



A history of the Plant Quarantine legislation enacted and that proposed to 

 exclude the Mediterranean fruit-fly which would ruin the insular citrus business. 

 Careful watch is necessary to exclude injurious insects and diseases. 

 The meeting adjourned at 11.30 a. m. for lunch and reassembled at 1.30 p. m. 



3. T. H. Jones: Assistant Entomologist, Sugar Experiment Station, Rio Piedras: 



The Sugar-cane Aphis and its Natural Enemies. 



The sugar-cane aphis {Sipha graminis Kit.) feeds only on the under surfaces of 

 the older leaves which are bent at an angle of 45 degrees or more from a vertical 

 position, possibly because they are better protected from rain and sun. They 

 are attacked by four native ladybirds — Cycloneda sanguinea L., Megilla innotata 

 Vauls., Scymnus loewii Muls., and Scymnus resecollis Muls?, — a Syrphid fly, a 

 Chrysopid or Lacewing fly and a fungus. 



4. R. C. McConnie: Fajardo Sugar Co., Fajardo: A fungus parasite (Aspergillus 



sp.) of the Sugar-cane Mealy-bug. 



This fungus is apparently scattered all over the island and is doing good work 

 in damp localities; hence should be very effective in irrigated fields. Mr. Gar- 

 rett mentions it as doing good work in Louisiana cane fields. 



5. C. T. Murphy: Guanica Centrale, Ensenda: Sugar-cane Insects Work at Guanica. 



A systematic fight against the sugar-cane insects has been cari-ied on at Guanica 

 for some years. The best results have been attained by hand picking grubs and 

 adult caculos, and plowing up the stools for hogs to root and poultry or birds to 

 scratch. The adults are most abundant during May and June, sometimes again 

 in August. The average number of grubs per stool has been reduced from thirty 

 to forty in 1909 to eleven or twelve in 1912. Fifty quarts per night were sometimes 

 taken. Burning the trash while fresh and selecting seed is necessary to combat the 

 other cane insects. 



6. S. S. Grossman: Asst. Ent. Board of Agriculture, San Juan: La Changa: 



A sketch of the literature on the Changa, its habits and progress of work 

 against it. 



7. R. I. Smith: Entomologist, College of Agriculture, Mayaguez: Entomology at 



the College of Agriculture: 



A sketch of the proposed work in entomology at the College of Agriculture. 



