121 



and the pink boll worm [Gelechia gossypiella] by legislation enforcing 

 quarantine and inspection of postal packets, cotton-seed sometimes 

 being sent in this way. 



Whitney (L. A.). A little known orchid pest {Isosoma orchidearum, 

 Westw). — Mthly. Bull. Cal. State Commiss. Hortic, Sacramento, 

 iii, no. 11, November 1914, pp. 483-485, 4 figs. 



Isosoma orchidearum, Westw. (Eurytomidae), popularly known as 

 the Cattleya fly, as it confines its attacks to that family of orchids, 

 is one of the worst insect pests to which these plants are subject. 

 The life-history and habits of this insect are little known. Where the 

 egg is deposited, is uncertain, but from the character of the ovipositor, 

 it is supposed to be inserted in the tissues at the base of the bulb, and 

 the larvae on hatching bore their way into the centre of the bulb and 

 devour the heart, causing distortion. Short, popular descriptions 

 of the egg, larva, pupa and adult are given. The entire metamorphosis 

 appears to occur inside the bud, the adult gnawing its way to the 

 exterior. 



The eradication of this insect is difficult, as orchids under artificial 

 conditions are in a state of growth nearly all the year. This favours 

 the development of the insect, the generations of w^hich are continually 

 overlapping. Control measures such as injecting nicotocide into the 

 infested bud, or piercing the larvae with a triangular dissecting needle 

 have been tried from time to time, but apparently with no great 

 success. The most practical measures are constant watchfulness, 

 fumigation with a vaporising insecticide for the adults, and the cutting 

 and burning of infested buds. In view of the wide distribution and 

 destructiveness of this insect, persons contemplating the importation 

 of orchids should insist on the most thorough certifications and 

 inspections. 



Insect Notes. — Mthly. Bull. Cal. State Commiss. Hortic, Sacramento, 

 iii, no. 11, November 1914, p. 489. 



Oranges and a number of native shrubs from Tahiti infested with 

 Morganella maskelU, Ckll., are constantly intercepted in quarantine at 

 San Francisco, and there is little doubt that this scale would become 

 a serious citrus pest if once it was established in California. The 

 walnut mealy bug, Pseudococcus baker i, is very injurious in a few 

 vineyards, where Typhloc7jba comes, Say (the grape leaf-hopper) also 

 occurs in great numbers. The State Insectary has released a colony of 

 Leptomastix sp., a new internal parasite of Pseudococcus citri, Bern., 

 in the infested orchards of Southern California ; while Coccophagus 

 orientalis, How., an internal parasite of Saissetia oleae, Bern., has been 

 recovered from a colony released in the late spring. Several thousand 

 adults of Scymnus bipunctatus, a predator on P. citri introduced from 

 the Philippines, have also been sent to Southern Cahfornia. 



Bbemner (0. E.). Fall Treatment for Apple Aphis. — Mthly. Bull. Cal. 



Staf£ Commiss. Hortic, Sacramento, iii, no. 11, November 1914, 



pp. 480-482. 



Aphis sorbi (the purple apple aphis) is unquestionably the most 



destructive species in Sonoma county, California. This species 



hatches early in the spring, the exact period varying with the condition 



(C135) B 



