206 



these, with 1 lb. Paris green thoroughly mixed in. The Coccinellid, 

 Epilachia corrupta, Muls., was more destructive to beans than usual, 

 the maximum damage occurring in July, but it was successfully 

 controlled by spraying with lead arsenic. Leptinotarsa decenilineata, 

 Say (Colorado potato beetle) was very destructive in some districts 

 and a spray of powdered lead arsenate at the rat« of 2 lb. to 50 U.S. 

 gals, water was advised. Other pests damaging vegetable crops 

 were Lygus sp., the grasshopper, Eucoplolophus subgracilis, Caud., 

 Heliothrips fasciutus, Perg., and Diahrotica vittafa, F. (striped cucumber 

 beetle). Trichobaris mucorea, Lee, erroneously recorded in a former 

 report as T. trinotata [see this Review, Ser. A, iv, p. 319], was not found 

 in potato fields during the year, but was present, apparently in its 

 usual numbers, on jimson weed growing near potato fields. 



Cotton was attacked during 1917 by a new thrips, Thrips arizonefisis, 

 Morgan, and also by a small beetle, Myochrous longfdus, Lee, the 

 latter under circumstances already noticed [see this Review, Ser. A, 

 vi, p. 22]. A termite, a species of Reticulitermes, was found destroying 

 about 1 per cent, of cotton-stalks by severing them 2 or 3 inches 

 below the surface of the ground. Heliothis obsoleta, F., was more 

 destructive in 1917 than at any time since commercial cotton growing 

 had been undertaken. A new type of injury has been credited to 

 this pest on the evidence of finding a single specimen, parasitised by 

 Sarcophaga helicis, Town., in an injured stalk. This injury is caused 

 by the young larvae attacking the cotton stalk about 6 inches from 

 the growing tip and tunnelling upwards and downwards for about 

 3 inches. Grasshoppers, especially Melanoplus differentialis, did some 

 damage to cotton, but they were promptly checked wherever they 

 appeared by means of poison bran mash. The formula for this now 

 most generally recommended consists of a mixture of 25 lb. bran, 

 2 U.S. qts. molasses, 1 lb. Paris green, 3-6 finely chopped lemons or 

 oranges and water to make a crumbly mash. The cost of this may 

 be reduced by the substitution of cantaloups for lemons, the omission 

 of the molasses for use against the adult grasshoppers and the use 

 of a half and half mixture of bran and sawdust in place of the bran. 

 Tarnished plant bugs from cotton were identified as Lygus elisus var. 

 kesperus, Knight, and L. pratensis oblineatus. Say. They appear to 

 breed upon lucerne for the most part, and, when practicable, it would 

 be wise to avoid planting cotton in a field adjoining lucerne. 



Of those insects affecting stored food products, Rhizopertha dominica, 

 F. (lesser grain borer), Ephestia Jcuhniella, Zell. (Mediterranean flour 

 moth) and Calandra oryzae, L. (rice weevil) were as injurious locally 

 as in 1913, but have not been found in some of the largest flour mills 

 in the State. Sitotroga cerealella, 01., did considerable damage to a 

 small lot of stored wheat in 1917. Cathartus gemellatus, L. (square 

 necked grain beetle) and Calandra oryzae, L. (rice weevil) were found 

 in a granary destroying large stores of wheat and rolled barley, but 

 were practically eliminated by fumigating with carbon bisulphide. 

 Stored mesquite beans are specially subject to attack by insect pests, 

 one that was particularly abundant having been identified as Bruchus 

 prosopis, Lee. 



A small bark-boring beetle, Pteleobins imperialis, Eich., has been 

 discovered practically killing young ash trees, and where these are 

 used for shade trees it may prove a serious pest. 



