257 



Ballou (H. a.). Miscellaneous Insects. — Agric. Netos, Barbados, 

 xviii, no. 440, 8th March 1919, p. 74. 



Insect pests from the West Indies, recently identified, include a 

 grasshopper, Turpilia punctata, from St. Lucia, reported to eat the 

 leaves of citrus trees ; a Capsid bug, Paracarmis sp., a natural enemy 

 of the cacao thrips [Heliothrijjs rubrocinctus], although there is so far 

 no evidence of its value as such ; another bug, Anasa scorbutica, from 

 St. Vincent and Grenada on Momordica charantia ; the Membracid, 

 Euckenopa auropicta, taken in St. Vincent on Tephrosia Candida ; 

 and a beetle, Araecerus fasciciilatus, de G., found in abundance in the 

 hold of a ship laden with cassava and cotton seed. During November 

 1918, there were severe attacks of caterpillars on cowpeas and pigeon 

 peas in Antigua and St. Kitts, but these outbreaks were materially 

 checked by a parasite, since identified as Coelichnemnon serricorne. 

 Cress. 



Skaife (S. H.). Pea and Bean Weevils. — Union of S. Africa Dept. 

 Agric, Pretoria, Bull. no. 12, 13th September 1918, 32 pp., 17 

 figs. [Received 10th April 1919.] 



There are five species of Bruchids infesting cultivated peas and beans 

 in South Africa, all of them having been introduced, viz. : — Bruchus 

 pisorum (pea weevil), B. rufimanus (red-footed bean weevil), B. obtectus 

 (bean weevil), B. chinensis (cowpea weevil) and B. quadrimaculatus 

 (four-spotted weevil). In addition to these, Spermophagus pectoralis 

 (Mexican bean weevil) has been found in beans from Mozambique 

 and B. rufipes has occurred in vetch seed imported from Europe. 



B. pisorum, L., is at presejit limited in South Africa to the south- 

 western districts of the Cape Province, where, in some places, its 

 depredations are extremely severe. The adiilts appear during spring 

 and the females oviposit on the exterior of the green pods. The eggs 

 hatch in about 3 weeks during spring, but take nearly twice as long 

 during the cold winter months, whilst in November and December 

 they take only 16-18 days. The adults remain inside the peas for 

 an indefinite period. It was found that beetles began to emerge in 

 January from some peas collected at the end of the previous November, 

 and removed from their pods ; emergence continued at intervals 

 until the following September, the great majority emerging during 

 June, July and August. Another lot of peas, gathered at the same time 

 were left in their pods and the majority of these did not open spon- 

 taneously. Between January and August pods contained adults that 

 had made no attempt to bore their w^ay out, while from August onwards 

 dead as well as living weevils were found when the pods were opened. 

 Infested peas intended for. planting may be soaked for 5 minutes 

 in a mixture of 2 parts of boiling water to 1 of cold without being 

 injured, the resulting temperature of the mixture being about 75° C. 

 (167° F.). These proportions must be strictly adhered to, and the 

 quantity of water used must be considerably in excess of the bulk 

 of the seed treated. The exposure of infested peas to the heat of the 

 sun is a useless measure under the conditions prevailing at the Cape 

 in early summer. By covering the trays with sheets of glass, however, 

 a maximum temperature of 63° C. (145° F.) may be reached, and this 



