311 



proved effective. The pupae of Cijdia pomonella were found in the 

 earth underneath apple trees in the first half of May ; the adults 

 appeared on 7th June, and were on the wing till the 14th July. 

 Although there was much fallen fruit in June, the percentage of apples 

 infested was not great. No imagines of the second generation were 

 observed. Control took the form of collecting the fallen fruits, 

 which served as food for cattle. The caterpillars of Hyponomeuta 

 Dialinellus, Zell., were found on 8th May when the leaves were 

 not yet xmfolded. Four per cent, of the caterpillars were infested 

 by Chalcid and other parasites ; 16 per cent, perished from im- 

 known causes. Control consisted in the collection of the nests. 

 Hatching of the caterpillars of Malacosoma {Lasiocampa) neustria, L., 

 began on 3rd May ; pupae appeared on 10th June and the adults on 

 23rd June. Aphis pomi {tnali, F.) appeared mostly on young trees, 

 but in small numbers ; hatching took place on 9th May, the winged 

 forms appearing at the end of that month. The numbers of Aphis 

 sorbi, Kalt., were also small. Various species of Coccidae were found 

 on apples in large numbers. Injury from Scolyhis {Eccoptogaster) sp. 

 was noticed, but no beetles were found. Other pests were : — On 

 raspberries, Byturus tomentosus, F. ; on currants, Aphis sp. ; Halti- 

 ciDAE ; Pieris brassicae, L., and Aphis brassicae, L., which have 

 entirely ruined the cultivation of cabbages in the district. Cater- 

 pillars of Euxoa {Agrotis) segetum have destroyed some 68 acres of 

 crops, the caterpillars mostly coming from the boundaries of the 

 fields. 



RoEPKE (W.). Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek. [Scientific researches.] 

 — Meded. Proefst. Midden-Java, Batavia, no. 18, 1914, pp. 14-23. 

 [Received 4th March 1915.] 



The parasites of Acrocercops cramerella (cacao moth) have occupied 

 the greater part of the time of the Director and his staff. Attempts 

 have been made to rear several species of spiders in captivity, with 

 the idea of obtaining a supply of eggs for infection by the moth parasite. 

 It was found very difficult to raise the spiders at all and almost 

 impossible to get them to oviposit, and they proved to be quite un- 

 manageable in captivity, chiefly owing to slow development and their 

 cannibal habits. A new host-insect was discovered in the coconut pest, 

 Brachartona catoxantha. Parasite species C. readily infected the 

 cocoons, but species A. and B. refused them [see this Review, Series A, 

 i, p. 57]. B. catoxantha might well serve as an intermediate host for 

 species C, but there are two difficulties in the way ; the insects will 

 not pair in captivity, and they must not be allowed to escape because 

 of the damage they do to the coconuts. Great attention has been paid 

 to new parasites, and several have been found, including three 

 Ichneumonids, designated species D., E. and M. respectively. D. is a 

 Calliephialtes found in but small numbers, and those almost always 

 males, so that rearing was impossible. Research on Chalcids gave 

 better results ; hitherto, these insects have only been known as 

 hyperparasites of the cacao moth, but two have been discovered and 

 designated respectively species X. and species Y., which are primarj-- 

 parasites. The females of species X. infect the caterpillars at the 

 moment of commencing pupation and also fresh pupae. The larva 



