April, '13] VAN DINE: SUGAR CANE CANE 257 



The cane in Porto Rico is attacked by two species of aphids, the 

 common species being Sipha graminis Kit., determined by Mr. Theo. 

 Pergande. Mr. Jones has made a study of the common sugar-cane 

 aphid and has found the following lady-bird beetles feeding upon it; 

 Cycloneda sanguinea Linn., Megilla innotata Vauls., Scymnus loeivii 

 Muls., and Scymnus roseicollis Muls. The lady-bird beetle determin- 

 ations are by Mr. Schwarz. Mr. Jones has also collected the larvae 

 of a Syrphid fly and of a Chrysopid feeding upon the cane aphid, both 

 species being at the present time undetermined. 



The southern grass-worm, Laphygma frugiperda S. & A., is very 

 often injurious to young cane in Porto Rico, especially after rains, 

 and usually occurs in company with another grass-worm, Remigia 

 repanda Fabr., though the former species is the more abundant. These 

 pests are known locally as "los gusanos de yerba." The occurrence 

 of these grass-worms on sugar cane in Porto Rico is the subject of a 

 paper for presentation at this meeting by Mr. Thomas H. Jones, as- 

 sistant entomologist of this station. Other caterpillars which attack 

 sugar cane in Porto Rico are the larvae of Cirphis latiuscula H. S., 

 another Noctuid; and of Prenes nero Fabr., an Hesperid. The deter- 

 minations of the above lepidoptera were made by Dr. H. G. Dyar. 

 Three species of Tachina flies, namely Frontina archippivora Will., 

 Gonia crassicornis Fabr., and Archytas piliventris v. d. W., determined 

 by Mr. W. R. Walton, have been bred from the larvae of Laphygma 

 frugiperda and a Braconid parasite has been bred from the larva of 

 Cirphis latiuscula. Blackbirds feed upon these caterpillars, esj^ecially 

 in the more open grass lands. 



The sugar-cane scale-insect, Targionia sacchari Ckll., determined by 

 E. R. Sasscer, is rather common on cane in Porto Rico, occurring 

 on the stalks, but appears to do no particular damage. The Spanish 

 equivalent for the common name is "el insecto escamoso de la cana." 

 The adult of Diahrotica graminea Balz., known commonly as the green 

 Diabrotica, is found feeding upon the cane leaves. The breeding habits 

 of the species are not known. The determination is by Mr. Schwarz. 



A Jassid, Tettigonia similis Walk., is found verj^ frequently upon the 

 leaves of sugar cane in Porto Rico but the breeding habits of the insect 

 have not as yet been observed. The species was determined by Mr. 

 0. Heidemann. 



Several instances of injury to seed cane after planting by termites 

 have been noted. This species is known locally as "el comejen." It 

 is recorded by Dr. Stahl in his "Fauna de Puerto-Rico" (page 207) 

 under the name Termes morio Lath. 



A leaf-hopper, Ormenis sp., has been found breeding on cane leaves 

 in one instance and an undetermined bud-moth {Tineidce) is found at 

 times infesting the cane in rather isolated areas. 



