663 



Chamcoma sticligrapta, from the Gold Coast ; a Psyllid, Udamostigma 

 tessinanni, Zonocerus variegatus, Trochalits carinatus, Meiisa sierricola, 

 Diucnsia maculosa, Earias citrina, Prodenia litura, Eulophmiotus 

 mynneleon, Pseudococcus virgatus var. madagascariensis and P. citri 

 in Nigeria ; IlelopeUis schoutedeni in the Belgian Congo ; Ceratitis 

 ■punctata, Stictococcus dimorphus, Adorelus hirtellus, Gryllotalpa 

 africana and Gryllus gracilipes in Uganda ; Ceratitis afionae and 

 Polyrhabdotus transversalis in German East Africa ; Arhela quadri- 

 ncfiata, Stauropus alternus, Eurydactylus sexspinosus and Cyclopelta 

 siccifolia, in Ceylon ; Lachnosterna patens, Ligyrus ebemis and Nezara 

 viridula in the West Indies ; Horiola arcuata and Pseudococcus citri 

 in British Guiana ; and Tineopsis theobromae, a pest of the stored bean, 

 in the U.S.A.— Ed.] 



VAN DER GooT (P.). OvcF de Biologie der Gramang-Mier {Plagiolepis 

 longipes, Jerd). [On the Biologv of the Gramang Ant (Plagiolepis 

 longipes, Jerd).].- — Meded. v. h. Proefst. Midden- Java, Salatiga, 

 no. 19, 1st June 1915, 60 pp. [Received 20th August 1915.] 



This paper gives a detailed account of the life-history of Plagiolepis 

 longipes, and deals at length with its relations with Aphids and 

 Coccids. This ant is supposed to foster these pests as a source of 

 food, and for that reason is itself to be regarded as a pest. It is said 

 to construct covered ways on the branches of coffee over Coccus 

 (Lecanium) viridis (green scale) and Pseudococcus croionis (white scale), 

 like those which are sometimes built by the black cacao ant 

 (Dolichoderus bituberculatus), and to protect the scales by transporting 

 them to suitable dwelling places. The author expresses doubt as to 

 the truth of these statements. The black aphis, Toxoptera aurantii, 

 Boyer, is the only Aphid of real consequence in hill farming in Java ; 

 it collects on the flower stalks and young twigs of cacao and also on 

 3'oung shoots of coffee, but is never associated with Plagiolepis or 

 DolicJioderus. Coccidae only, especially the root-frequenting forms, 

 are sought after by ants in Java, particularly Pseudococcus calceolariae, 

 Mask. The white lamtoro Coccid {Pseudococcus bicaudatus, Keu- 

 chenius) [see this Revieiv, Ser. A, iii, p. 647], P. crotonis and P. citri 

 are not transported by ants or at least only rarely. There is no positive 

 evidence that any of the Lecaniixae or Diaspidinae are carried about 

 by ants, and much to the contrary. Certain ants, such as the Argentine 

 ant, Iridomyrmex humilis, and Oecophylla smaragdina, protect Coccids 

 and Aphids by killing their natural insect enemies, but Plagiolepis 

 appears to be quite helpless against the parasites and direct insect 

 enemies of Pseudococcus crotonis or those of C. viridis. Nothing in 

 the nature of symbiosis can be proved in the relations between various 

 species of Java ants and C viridis, but the possible effect of the ants 

 on the rate of development of the Coccids is well worth further study. 

 In coffee plantations the ants come to the Coccids, which are certainly 

 not brought by them, so that the ants are only secondary pests and 

 are in no sense productive of direct injury. There is no proof of direct 

 damage to cacao, but it is possible that Plagiolepis drives away the 

 black ant which has been found useful against Helopeltis. Trials of 

 .sodium arsenite and arsenate, corrosive sublimate, Paris green and 

 lead arsenate for poisoning ants in the plantations gave no useful 



