680 



and trap-lights should be resorted to ; for the latter, dark, rainy- 

 nights will yield the best results. Early broods of nymphs should be 

 destroyed by hand-picking. 



Jones (T. H.). The Sugar-Cane Weevil Root-Borer {Diaprepes spen- 

 gleri, L.^) — Govt. Porto Rico, Bd. Commissioners Agric, RioPiedras, 

 Bull. no. 14, 20th April 1915, 19 pp., 11 figs. [Received 30th 

 August 1915.] 



Diaprepes abbreviatus spengleri, L. '(sugar-cane weevil root-borer), is 

 apparently distributed throughout Porto Rico, but the larvae seem 

 to cause the most serious injury to sugar-cane in the lands on the 

 south coast between Guanica and Aguirre. Other records of the 

 insect have been made from Barbados. The larvae injure sugar-cane 

 by pruning off the small roots and by tunnelling into the root-stalks. 

 This causes a stunting of the growth and, in severe infestation, the 

 death of the plant. Serious injury is usually confined to small areas. 

 The larvae have also been known to attack the roots of orange trees, 

 while the adults feed on the leaves of a number of plants, including 

 sugar-cane, various citrus trees, Eucalyptus sp., Phaseolus adenanthus, 

 Mey, and Malachra rotundifolia, Schrank. The eggs are laid between 

 parts of the same leaf or of 2 leaves, the surfaces being held together 

 by an adhesive substance. The larva enters the soil immediately after 

 emergence from the egg. Pupation occurs in an earthen cell in the 

 soil. Probably the adults developed from eggs laid at any one time 

 are not ready to oviposit until a year later and there is apparently 

 an overlapping of generations. The adults live for a considerable time, 

 the females apparently longer than the males. A number of birds 

 feed upon the root-borer and should therefore be encouraged to breed 

 about the fields ; lizards are probably also beneficial. The fungus, 

 Metarrhizi'um anisopliae, Metch., has been found on weevils kept in 

 confinement. The collection and destruction of adults and larvae is 

 recommended as the best means of control. While the adults probably 

 occur on their food-plants throughout the year, there are certain times 

 when they are much more abundant. Such periods seem to depend 

 on the locality. At Rio Piedras, they are most plentiful from October 

 to December. Larvae, pupae and adults occurring in the soil may be 

 collected at ploughing time, or in serious infestations affected canes 

 should be removed and destroyed. The cutting and burning of grass 

 near the cane fields is advisable. No suitable insecticide has yet 

 been discovered. 



SwEZEY (O.H.). Notes on Crocidosema marcidellum (Walsm.) (Tortri- 

 cidae). — Proc. Hawaiian Entom. Soc, Honolulu, iii. no. 2, January 

 1914- -April 1915, pp. 61-62. [Received 18th September 1915.] 



Eucosma {Crocidosema) tnarcidella, Walsm., was obtained from fruits 

 of Hibiscus arnottianus on 15th March 1914. Numerous larvae were 

 collected and from these adults emerged from 3rd to 16th April. The 

 larvae of this moth undoubtedly attacks related native trees in the 

 mountains of Hawaii. The eggs are laid on the outside of the calyx. 

 On hatching, the larva eats through this and feeds for a short time 

 between it and the fruit, finally entering the fruit and destroying the 

 seeds. A description of the larva and pupa is given. 



