49 



and there pupation occurs. In late sprint? the pupa forces itself 

 partly out of this hole and the adult escapes. It is probable that in 

 Tasmania the insects pair very soon after emergence and that eggs are 

 laid during December. 



Constant vigilance is necessary to keep this moth in check, as it 

 increases very rapidly, while its habits protect it from natural enemies 

 and render spraying useless as a control measure. The best method 

 as yet known is to inspect the bushes and cut off and burn all wood 

 that has been attacked, large numbers of larvae and pupae thus being 

 destroyed before they can develop into adults. This should be done 

 in Tasmania chiefly during October, when the larvae have crawled 

 into the smaller branches to pupate. Bushes that have been badly 

 attacked should be dug out and burnt. In badly infested ground it 

 is advised to plant suckeriug cuttings, so that as old infested branches 

 -are removed there is young, fruit-bearing wood to take its place. 



Miller (D.). The Economic Bearing of Hover-Flies.— iVei^ Zealand 

 Jl. Agric, Wellington, xvii, no. 3, 20th September 1918, pp. 129- 

 135, 7 figs. [Received 4th December 1918.] 



Syrphid flies, which are probably of greater value in the control of 

 Aphids than are Coccinellids, are well represented in New Zealand, 

 not so much by the number of species as by the abundance of 

 individuals. 



The two most abundant and important species are Syrphus novae- 

 zealandiae and Mehnostoma fasciatum, the larvae of which devour 

 large numbers of Aphids and injurious caterpillars. 



Another Aphid-destroying species, S. viridiceps, Macq. {obesiis, 

 Hutt.), which is very common in Austraha, is sometimes found in 

 New Zealand, but is not yet well-established. The larvae of S. ropalus 

 and S. ortas, two less abundant species, have been found attacking 

 the caterpillars of the moth Venusia veniculata, which feed on the 

 foliage of the cabbage-tree {Cordyline indivisa), and of Xanihorhoe 

 praefedata and Melannhra sferopasf.is, which attack the leaves of the 

 JSlew Zealand flax {Phormium tenax). The larvae of Phihorimaea 

 operculella (potato-tuber moth) and Plutella maculipennis {cruci- 

 ferarum) (diamond-back moth) are preyed upon by the larvae of both 

 S. novae-zealandiae and M. fasciatum. 



About 10 species of the larger injurious forms of hover-flies are known 

 in New Zealand. These include Eristalis tenax, which.has frequently 

 been recorded as causing larval myiasis in man and domestic animals, 

 •entering the digestive organs by means of water-cress or drinking- 

 water, and is now well estabhshed throughout the country, and 

 3Ierodon equesfris (narcissus-fly), the larvae of which burrow in narcissus 

 and daffodil bulbs. Some bulbs recently imported from Japan have 

 also been found infested by the larvae of this or an allied species, so 

 far undetermined. 



CoLLARD (J. W.). Citrus-fruit Culture in New Zealand. Advice to 

 Growers. — New Zealand Jl. Agric, Wellington, xvii, no. 3, 

 20thSeptemberl918, pp. 154-162. [Received 4th December 1918.] 



The insect pests attacking citrus-trees that give the most trouble 

 to growers in New Zealand are : — Chrysomphalus aurantU {Aspidiotus 



