653 



collected in the deserted chambers of Hepialid moth larvae in the stem 

 of Casuarina sp. ; Saissetia {L.) depress urn, Targ., confined chiefly to 

 hot-house plants, including grape-vines ; Paralecanium (L.) exjjansum, 

 Green, found on the leaves of Ficus macrophylla ; Saissetia {L.)filicum, 

 Boisd., a common scale of hot-house ferns ; Saissetia (L.) hemisphaerica, 

 having a wide distribution in Australia ; Coccus (L.) hesperidum, L., 

 occurring on orange ; Coccus (L.) longidus, Doug., on Anona reticulata 

 (custard apple) ; Saissetia (L.) oleae, Bern., and Eulecanium (L.) 

 persicae, F., found on grape, peach, mulberry, plum, etc. [The 

 papers of this series, which were published in Vol. xxv. (1914) of the 

 Agric. Gaz. of New South Wales, have now been issued as Science 

 Bulletin no. 14 of April 1915, obtainable from the Under Secretary, 

 Dept. of Agriculture, Sydney.] 



HoRTON (J. R.) & Pemberton (C. E.). Katydids injurious to Oranges 

 in California. — U.S.Dept. Agric, Washington, B.C., Bull.no. 256, 

 27th July 1915, 24 pp., 16 figs., 5 plates. 



Citrus trees in the San Joaquin Valley of California are attacked by 

 Scudderia furcata, Brunner, (fork-tailed katydid) and Orophus 

 {Microcentrum) rhombif alius, Sauss., (angular- winged katydid). In 

 1912, the loss caused by the former species amounted to a quarter of 

 the crop. S. furcata feeds almost exclusively on the sweet orange ; 

 it has also been reported as feeding on the fruit and leaves of grape and 

 the leaves of oak. The egg is inserted into the edge of the older leaves 

 of the citrus tree, between the upper and lower surfaces ; the average 

 number deposited in a single leaf is three. The winter is passed in the 

 egg-stage. The duration of this stage varies from 275 to 286 days, 

 the eggs deposited later in the year having the shorter incubation 

 period ; this generally lasting from the middle of August until 

 the middle of May. The egg of S. furcata is attacked by a Chalcidoid 

 parasite. Ana status sp. The proportion of eggs parasitised among 

 those under observation in 1912, was 25 per cent. From eggs collected 

 on 22nd March, adult parasites began to emerge on 2nd April. In 

 every case only one parasite emerged from a single egg. The complete 

 nymphal stage requires from 58 to 88 days. Nymphs issuing early in 

 spring develop more slowly than those emerging later. The young 

 feed acti^/ely at the time the host trees are beginning to lose their 

 petals ; the pistil and ovary and the immature fruit are attacked. 

 In 47 orchards examined during 1912, the loss of fruit from this cause 

 averaged 8 "2 per cent, of the maturing crop. Preference was shown 

 by the insect for young, vigorously growing orchards. The leaves and 

 stems of the orange are attacked throughout the life of the insect. 

 Birds and a spider, Thiodina puerperis, Htz., are the most important 

 enemies of the nymph. Transformation to the adult stage takes place 

 between the middle of June and the middle of July. Pairing occurs 

 about 20 days after emergence. Oviposition takes place at night and 

 decreases in autumn, ceasing entirely about mid-winter. Females 

 which have ceased to oviposit may be induced to begin again by 

 placing them in a temperature of 75° F. Adults kept in captivity 

 lived from 150 to 160 days. 



Orophus rhombifoliiis is associated with S. furcata on orange trees ; 

 the foliage only is attacked by this species. The distribution is the 



