■ it SOME SOUTH INDIAN INSECTS, ETC. [CHAP. XI. 



small steepsided pits dug at short intervals along the bottom of 

 such .1 trench will serve .is further traps, .is the insects will gene- 

 rally wandei some distance along the bottom ol the trench and arc 

 therefore likelj to tumble into the pits. In the case of Kumblihulas, 



it sufficiently wide and deep trenches are available, a few fresh 

 branches maj be strewn in them to provide a certain amount of 

 l and sheltei and these may be examined and renewed dail\ 

 and all the caterpillars found in hiding killed; but care must 

 be taken that such branches do not provide a bridge up the 

 sides of the trench. In cases when a ditch oi standing wat( I 

 forms the boundary .>i a inld. a little oil spread over the surface 

 of the water will form a barrier against invasion by caterpillar 



pots. 



Burning is sometimes a practicable method of dealing with 

 I rop-pests, especially in tin- case of many of the hair} caterpillars 

 which gather gregariously and often form large patches on tree- 

 trunks. A bundle of straw soaked m oil and fastened to the end 

 of .1 bamboo makes an efficient torch for such purposes. The 

 burning of stubble has already been dealt with. 



Fires ma) also be used sometimes in the control "I Crop-pests 

 which are attracted and killed by the flames at night and insect- 

 may also in some cases be driven out of crops at critical times by 

 the judicious use of smoke. Mango Hoppers, for example, may 

 sometimes be driven temporarily out ol the trees by kindling smoky 

 fires beneath the branches at the blossoming period when the 

 flowers would otherwise be spoilt by the " honeydew " exuded by 

 the Hoppers. 



In tin case ol trees the access ol pests may often be previ 

 bj banding the trunk with a sticky or oily mixture either painted 

 directlj on to the tree or applied on a band of cloth or paper 

 fastened around the tree, A mixture of Tar and ("rude Oil Emul- 

 sion, in equal parts, maj be recommended as efficacious and 

 harmless to trees ; but no mixture ol this sort can be expected to 

 last more than a short time in India- Wide bands of tin may be 

 nailed on to the stems ol Coconut Palms to prevent the access 

 of rats. 



The screening ol choice fruits and vegetables to guard them 

 against the attack of fruit-llies and other pests is a simple and 

 ob\ ions method ol protection. 



Many trees are subject to the attack ol large boring caterpillars. 

 the larva- ol beetles and moths, which pierce galleries through the 

 living wood and in bad cases may even kill the tree or bush so 

 attacked. A simple remedy is to cut out the larvae with a knife 

 and to paint the wound over with tar to prevent access of other 



