448 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 12 



INSECTS ATTACKING SUGAR CANE IN THE UNITED STATES 



By T. E. HoLLOWAY and U. C. Loftin, Bureau of Entomology, U. S. Department of 



Agriculture 



Following the general plans of Mr. D. L. Van Dine (1) in Porto 

 Rico and Mr. G. E. Bodkin (2) in British Guiana, the writers have 

 compiled the following list of sugar cane insects of the United States. 

 Thanks are due the various specialists for determinations, and 

 acknowledgment is made to Mr. E. R. Barber and Mr. George N. 

 Wolcott for several species collected by them. 



1. Diatroea saccharalis crambidoides Grote. 



Determined by H. G. Dyar. 



Common names : The borer, the sugar cane borer, the sugar cane moth borer. 



Parasites : 



Native: The egg parasite, Trichogramma minulum Riley. 

 Determined by A. A. Girault. Very common. 



The egg parasite, Ufens niger Ashmead. Determined by A. A. Girault. 

 Reared once from eggs collected near Brownsville, Tex. Apparently 

 rare as a parasite of Diatroea. 

 Introduced : A tachinid fly, Euzenilliopsis diatrosce Towns. 



Determined by C. H. T. Townsend and described (3) by him as new. In- 

 troduced by the writers from Cuba in 1915. Though it attacked the 

 sugar cane moth borer in Louisiana, it has apparently since died out. 

 Further introductions are being made. 

 Remarks: The sugar cane moth borer is by far the most injurious insect to 

 sugar cane in the United States. Though it attacks corn, it should not be 

 confused with the corn stalk borer, Diatroea zeacolella Dyar, which has a dif- 

 ferent geographical distribution (4, 7), and only rarely attacks sugar cane. 



2. Diatroea lineolata Walker. 



Determined by H. G. Dyar. 



Parasite: A braconid reared by Dr. A. W. Morrill at Phoenix, Ariz. 



Remarks: This borer, similar to D. saccharalis, has the distinctive habit of 

 feeding on the leaves until quite large. It has been observed at and near 

 Phoenix, Ariz., on sugar cane and Johnson grass by the authors. 



3. Pseudococcus calceolaria; Mask. 



Determined by E. E. Green. 



Common names : The sugar cane mealybug, pou-a-pouche. 



Parasites: Several hymenopterous parasites not yet determined. 



Predator: The ladybeetle, Crytoloemus montrouzieri, has been introduced several 



times, but has not become established. 

 Associates: The Argentine ant, Iridmnyrmex humilis Mayr, and other ants. 

 Remarks: Common in restricted districts in southern Louisiana. It would be 



of much importance if widely distributed. 



4. Pseudoccus calceolarice minor Mask. 



Determined by E. E. Green. 



Remarks: Only a few specimens collected on sugar cane near Orlando, Fla., in 

 1913. 



