521 



Insect Enemies and Diseases of the Tomato. — U.S. Dept. Agric, 

 Washington, D.C., Dept. Circ. 40, June 1919, 18 pp. [Received 

 9th October 1919]. 

 Popular information is given with regard to damage by, and remedial 

 measures against the most common tomato pests and diseases. 



Chittenden (F. H.) The Striped Cucumber Beetle and its Control.— 



U. S. Dept. Agric, Washington, D.C., Farmers' Bull. 1038, May 

 1919, 19 pp., 15 figs. [Received 9th October 1919.] 



Diabrotica vittaia, F. (striped cucumber beetle) is one of the most 

 serious pests of Cucurbitaceae in the United States. In addition to the 

 direct injury to the plants caused by the larvae and adults, the beetles 

 are responsible for the spread of Bacillus tracheiphilus, the bacterial 

 Avilt infesting these plants. 



The bulk of the information here given Avith regard to D. vittata 

 has been noticed elsewhere [see this Review, Ser. A, v, pp. 370, 529 

 and vi, p. 459.]. 



Its natural enemies include the Tachinid flies, Celatoria diabroticae, 

 Shimer, and Chaetophleps setosa, Coq. ; the predatory bugs, Sinea 

 diadema, F., Perilhis biocidatus, F., &ndNabis ferus, L. ; and a Carabid 

 beetle, Pferostichus hicublandus, Say. A mite, Vropoda sp., especially 

 infests this beetle on plants grown under glass. A fungus, Meta- 

 rrhizium anisopliae, attacks the adults and Beauveria globulifera the 

 larvae. A list of birds that devour these beetles is also given. 



Jarvis (E.). Insect Pests of the Rosella. — Queensland Agric. JL, 

 Brisbane, xii, no. 2, August 1919, pp. 69-74, 1 plate. 



The Chrysomelid beetle, Nisotra breweri, of which the native food- 

 plant in Queensland is Commersonia echinata, has now become a pest 

 of the imported Jamaica sorrel or roselle {Hibiscus sabdarijfa). The 

 eggs are deposited in damp soil at a depth varying from \ to | an inch 

 either singly or in batches of from two to eight. These hatched in 

 about eight or ten days in cages. If exposed to the air they shrivel 

 after seven days, and in direct sunlight at a temperature of about 106° F. 

 they are killed in about 3 hours. The adults oviposit freely when 

 placed in cages. Under field conditions an average of about 5 eggs 

 a day are deposited during April, but during the cooler weather of May 

 only half this number is laid. Each beetle deposits about 270 eggs. 

 In captivity the oviposition period covered 68 days. The larvae and 

 pupae may be found in the soil close to the infested plants ; the former 

 probably subsist on the roots. This pest damages the plant by eating 

 the bark of the young shoots, sometimes completely girdhng the stem. 

 The injury thus caused encourages the growth of fungoid diseases. 

 Leaves of the plant are also attacked by the adults. 



The beetles may be collected by shaking the bushes over tarred 

 screens. The ground around the plants should be hoed at intervals 

 to a depth of about 2 in. to expose the eggs and larvae to the air and 

 to predaceous enemies such as Pheidole megacephala and other ants. 



Other insect pests of H. sabdariffa in Queensland include : a Lagriid, 

 Lagria cyanea, Macl., a Chrysomelid, Rlujparida disco punclulata. Lea, 

 a Lymantriid, Euproctis sj)., a Pyrrhocorid, Dgsdercus sp., and a 

 Pentatomid, Agonoscclis rutilia, F. 



(C618) B 



