390 



Agromyzid pests include the cowpea and red gram pod flies, and 

 the sorghum seedhng fly. The pod flies probably belong to two different 

 species, one of which oviposits on the stems of young cowpea plants, 

 which wilt and die after the larvae have bored into the stems, and is 

 occasionally a serious pest. The other species lays eggs in the tender 

 red gram pods ; the larvae feed on the seeds inside and pupate there. 

 It is very common, but has not been noticed as a serious pest. The 

 sorghum seedling fly was observed in Mysore for the first time in 1919, 

 when large areas of young Sorghum were found damaged in June- July. 

 The eggs are laid singly underneath the leaves, and the larvae enter the 

 main stem through the central shoot, causing the plant to wither and 

 die. Pupation takes place inside the stem. The fly is widely distributed 

 in Mysore. Sorghum is also attacked by a Cecidomyiid, the earhead 

 gall fly, very large areas being affected. The eggs are thrust into the 

 unopened flowers, and the larvae feed on the pollen of the anthers, 

 so that no grain i^ formed. Infested earheads have a general discoloured 

 appearance and a marked depression in the middle of all infested 

 flowers in a head. The pest has been observed since 1917. Andropogon 

 nardus var. coloroJus and Panicum sp. are alternative food-plants. 

 The larvae were found to be heavily parasitised by two species of 

 Chalcids about harvest time. Another Cecidomyiid, the cotton flower- 

 bud fly, probably Contarinia {Dasyneura) gossypii, Felt, damaged 

 Cambodia cotton in July 1914, but has not been observed as a pest 

 since then. FacJiydiplosis oryzae, Wood-Mason, was first noticed in 

 1920, both in a nursery bed and on transplanted paddy, where almost 

 every shoot was attacked. 



Injurious Rhynchota include Nezara viridula, L., which is very 

 common and an occasional serious pest of wheat, coriander and horse- 

 gram in the cold season — November-January. Collection with hand 

 nets has proved effective. Coptosoma cribaria, F., is widely distributed 

 and is occasionally a serious pest of lablab, red gram, etc., and also 

 occurs on wild plants and avenue trees such as Pongania glabra. 

 Anoplocnemis phasiana, ¥., a minor pest, occurs on red gram and egg- 

 plants ; in one case it injured the tender shoots of grape-vine. Dysdercus 

 ciiigu/atus, F., occurs wherever cotton is grown, and is occasionally a 

 serious pest in January-March. Oxycarenus laetus, Kby., found 

 wherever cotton is growii, is a minor pest. The mango hoppers, 

 Idioccrus clypcalis, Leth., /. atkinsoni, Leth., and /. niveosparsus, Leth., 

 do serious damage to mango blossoms. There are 5-6 generations in 

 the season. The chief breeding season corresponds with the appearance 

 of the blossoms. A pre-blossom spray of fish-oil resin soap has been 

 found fairly effective. A number of Aphids occur on both cultivated 

 and wild plants. In certain years they are a serious pest on cotton in 

 June and July while it is still young, and on tobacco in September- 

 December. Kerosene emulsion or fish-oil soap are effective remedies. 



Ehrhorn (E. ]\I.). Division of Plant Inspection. Report for October 



1921. — Haicaiian Forester & Agric, Honolulu, xviii, no. 12, 

 December 1921, pp. 268-270. [Received 30th May 1922.] 



Parlatoria zizyphiis, P. pergandei and Hemichionaspis aspidistrae 

 were intercepted on pomelo, and Pseudococcus comstocki on litchi 

 trees, tangerines and sand pears from China ; and Lepidosaphes ficus 

 on sand pears from Japan. 



