249 



Agromyza parvicornis and Cerodonta dorsalis. The Phycitid moth, 

 Fundella {Ballovia) cistipennis (stalk and pod-borer) causes the death 

 of cowpea plants and renders the peas worthless ; Chalcodermus 

 ebeninus (cowpea pod weevil) lays eggs- within the seeds, where the 

 larvae remain until fully grown, when they pupate in the ground, 

 Diabrotica innuba (large striped cucumber beetle) feeds chiefly on 

 the flowers of cucumber, squash, and melons. Acrocercops sanctae- 

 crucis (egg-plant leaf-miner) often occurs in great numbers, but is 

 kept under control by parasites, other pests of egg-plants being the 

 weevils, Baris torquata and Anthonomus pulicarius. Diabrotica 

 graminea attacks all vegetable crops and is particularly abundant 

 on flowers, especially those of okra. Pycnoderes incurviis (small 

 black squash bug) feeds in all stages on squash and melon vines, eggs 

 being inserted into the stems and larger veins of the leaves, and 

 the nymphs feeding on the underside of the foliage. The foliage 

 of sweet potatoes is attacked by a Cassidid beetle, Coptocycla signifera, 

 and Pilocrosis tripunctata (sweet potato webworm) ; that of tomatoes 

 by the caterpillars of Phytometra (Plusia) rogationis and a bug, Dicyphus 

 prasinus, which inserts its eggs singly in the midrib of the leaf. 



The Ceylon Agricultural Society Year Book, 1919-1920.— Co/(ww6o, 



1919, 149 pp. [Received 16th April 1919.] 



A list is given of the common pests of food crops in Ceylon with notes 

 on remedial measures. These include a Noetuid, Spodoptera mauritia, 

 Boisd. [see this Review, Ser. A, v, p. 500] and a Coreid, Leptocorisa 

 varicornis (rice-bug), which does great damage to local crops, feeding 

 on the sap of flowering shoots of grasses, and, in paddy, on the tender 

 developing grain. The eggs are laid on the leaves in clusters or 

 rows, and hatch in 6 to 8 days, the nymphal stage occupying about 

 18 days, during which four moults occur and wings are gradually 

 developed. Adults have been kept alive in captivity for three months. 

 There are apparently five generations ; with the advent of cooJ 

 weather the insect leaves the open field and goes into the denser- 

 shelter of uncultivated land. In all probability breeding ceases until, 

 the following rains. Insect enemies of L. varicornis include a tiger- 

 beetle, Cicindelu sexpunctata, L., which flies in the rice-fields from*. 

 August to October and destroys numbers of the bugs, and aiL 

 unidentified egg-parasite. Various remedial measures are suggested,, 

 the most successful being the use of a bag trap [see this Review. 

 Ser. A, vi, p. 186]. 



Notes are also given on apiculture, sericulture and the culture of 

 the lac insect [Tachardia lacca]. 



Feytaud (J.). L'Hiver et les Insectes.—Bidl. Soc. Etude Vulg. Zool 

 Agric, Bordeaux, xviii, no, 1-2, January-February 1919, pp. 

 4-15. 



It is a popular belief among agriculturists that a severe winter 

 destroys the insect pests of plants, and that during the ensuing season 

 the damage due to them will be slight. As a matter of fact this is' 

 not the case, hibernating phytophagous insects being able to with- 

 stand prolonged exposure to extremely low temperatures without 

 injury. On the other hand predatory insects are iiot thus iirimune, 



(C566) a 



