489 



[HuTSON (J. C.).] Pests on Tea and Coconuts. — Trop. Agric, Peradeniya, 

 Iviii, no. 6, June 1922, pp. 375-376. 



During the first quarter of 1922, Helopeltis was prevalent on several 

 tea estates in the Southern Division of Ceylon. Lepidopterous pests 

 include Homona coffearia (tea tortrix), Heterusia cingala (red slug), 

 Natada nararia (fringed nettle-grub), A cantho psyche hypolenca (bag- 

 worm) and Chalia doubledayi (faggot-worm). The large stem-boring 

 and bark-eating caterpillar, Phassus purpurascens, was reported for the 

 first time as a tea pest, on one estate only. It is quite likely that 

 injuries attributed to other pests have been caused in some instances 

 by the larva of this moth, which tunnels in the branches and eats away 

 portions of the bark under cover of a webbed galler}' covered with 

 frass. A related species, P. malabaricus, bores into the roots of tea bushes 

 in India. The small gi'ey weevil, Myllocerus curvicornis, has been 

 recorded as eating notches out of the edges of tea leaves. The tea mites, 

 Temiipalpus obovatus and Tarsonemus translucens , occurred on several 

 estates. 



Coconut pests included Nephantis serinopa (coconut caterpillar) ; 

 and Oryctes rhinoceros and Rhynchophorus ferrugineus have been more 

 than usually prevalent. Every attempt should be made to reduce the 

 breeding-places of 0. rhinoceros by burning all hollow and decaj'ing 

 palm stumps, fallen logs and dead palms, and by breaking up all 

 heaps of decaying vegetable matter. These measures would also 

 reduce the numbers of R. ferrugineus, which breeds mainly in palms 

 already injured by 0. rhinoceros. 



Baerg (W. J.). Eastern Strawberry Louse. — Arkansas Agric. Expt. 

 Sta., Favetteville, Bull. 179, May 1922, 16 pp., 4 plates. 

 [Received 1st August 1922.] 



Myziis brevipilosus, sp. n. (eastern strawberry aphis), of which the 

 stages are described, was at first thought to be identical with M. fragae- 

 folii, Ckll., apparently the only other Aphid infesting the leaves of 

 strawberry plants. The former occurs in north-west Arkansas, in the 

 vicinity of Ithaca, N.Y., and probably in Illinois and other middle 

 ■ and eastern States ; the latter is common in Arizona and California. 

 During July and August the average length of the life of M. brevi- 

 pilosus was about 30 daj^s, the period from birth to the adult stage 

 requiring about 11-15 days. The number of young produced by 

 one female showed an average of 11, but in New York as many as 

 52 were produced. The Aphids onl}^ appear in large numbers at the 

 beginning and end of the growing season, that is, in late March and 

 April, and in November and December. Asexual reproduction con- 

 tinues all through the spring and summer, the numbers gradually 

 becoming reduced through the activities of a predacious Reduviid bug. 

 About mid-September winged individuals begin to appear, and these 

 apparently migrate, though to what plant is not known. B\^ November 

 the winged forms decrease in numbers and the wingless ones increase. 

 Parthenogenetic reproduction by wingless females continues through 

 the winter, cold weather retarding the process to some extent. No 

 sexual forms or eggs have been observed in Arkansas, but in New York 

 eggs were found in November. 



No appreciable damage has been observed due to M. brevipilosus. 

 Should artificial remedies become necessarj'', hydrated lime and some 

 form of finely powdered clay impregnated with nicotine sulphate would 



