493 



A fungus, Empusa aphidis, is one of its most important natural 

 enemies, and a Braconid, Aphidius (Diaeretus) rapae, Curt., has 

 occasionally been reared from it in June. 



The damage caused to various plants including potatoes, egg-plants, 

 tomatoes and spinach, is described, and a list of 60 other plants on 

 which this Aphid will feed is given. In addition to the direct injury 

 to spinach, which is usually attacked during the autumn and winter 

 months, this pest is responsible for the transmission of spinach blight. 



In Norfolk this species apparently passes the year as a viviparous 

 female and does not produce true sexes. Migration from the winter 

 food-plants begins about March and the general migration ceases 

 about 1st May. Intermittent migration to various weeds occurs 

 in the autumn, lasting until about 15th November, but the majority 

 of individuals settle on spinach. One variety of this plant from 

 Manchuria is only attacked when other food is scarce. Experimentally 

 an average of 13| generations was produced between 1st May and 20th 

 November 1915. The maximum number of young produced during 

 the life of one female was 87, with an average of 43'3 in 1915 and 46*7 

 in 1916, the average life of a female for those years being 29*2 and 32*6 

 days. 



OsBORN (H.). The Meadow Plant Bug. — Maine Agric. Expt. Sta., 

 Orono, Bull. 276, March 1919, 16 pp., 7 figs. [Received 12th 

 September 1919.] 



The bulk of the information contained in this bulletin on Miris 

 dolahratus, L., has been noticed elsewhere [see this Review, Ser. 

 A, vii, p. 77.] 



Seventh Annual Report of the Bureau of Agriculture. Pest Control 

 Section. — Philippine Agric. Review, Manila, xii, no. 2, 1919, 

 pp. 84-95, 8 plates, 1 fig. [Received 13th September 1919.] 



This paper forms part of the report for the year ended December 

 1917. The Islands are now quite free of locusts. 



The chief coconut pests are the rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros, 

 and the palm weevils, Rhynchophorus pascha and R. ferrugineus. 

 The Limacodid, Thosea cinereomarginata, was reported as defoliating 

 plants, but Aleurodicus cocois destructor (coconut whitefly) has 

 apparently entirely disappeared. Further investigations are being 

 made with regard to the role of insects in the distribution of bud-rot 

 [see this Review, Ser. A, vi, p. 24]. In connection with control 

 measures for the cigarette beetle, Lasioderma serricorne, the amount 

 of cigars treated during the year under review exceeds by over 100 

 per cent, that in any previous year. It is considered advisable that 

 the Government should make the treatment of all cigars for export 

 compulsory. 



Experiments to control the rice bug, Leptocorisa varicornis, show 

 that these insects are greatly attracted by the odour of putrid meat, 

 and this, if saturated with a 3 per cent, solution of sodimn arsenate 

 and himg in bags at intervals in the fields, has proved to be a successful 

 poison-bait. The best time for placing the bait has not yet been 

 decided. 



