745 



on the trees. In June, the adult flies which emerged from oranges 

 attacked others, as well as peaches and the flower-clusters of figs ; 

 the injury to them increased in July, while apricots, figs and prickly 

 pears were then also attacked. Damage to the last three fruits 

 continued during August, in which month Neapolitan medlars began 

 to be attacked.. In September, the attack on peaches, figs, prickly 

 pears and Neapolitan medlars continued, but with rapidly diminishing 

 intensity. In October, injury to figs had practically ceased. This 

 makes clear the means by which C. cajyitata is able to maintain its 

 existence throughout the vear. 



Savastano (L.). La mosca nera dei fichi {Lonchaea aristella, Beck.) 

 [The black fly of the fig, Lonchaea aristella, Beck.] — R. Staz. 

 Speriment. Agrumic. & Fruttic., Acireale, Boll. no. 17, January 

 1915, 4 pp. [Received 26th October 1915.] 



Lonchaea aristella, Beck., is indigenous to North Africa ; Becker 

 records it from Eg^'pt and the Canaries, but mentions no host. Since 

 1912, the author has observed this Dipteron attacking figs in the 

 province of Naples and calls it the black fig fly to distinguish it from 

 C. capitata, Wied., which also attacks the fig. Ovipositiou takes place 

 in August, while the figs are yet green, though about to ripen. If the 

 fly finds the skin of the fruit pierced by another insect, it deposits its 

 eggs in the hole already made. Hatching takes place in two or three 

 davs and the larvae work their way to the centre of the fruit. The 

 dark green colour of the fig soon changes to a faint green, it then turns 

 yeflowish and finally assumes an ashy hue. The fruit droops and a 

 putrescent fluid exudes. Should it remain on the branch, it withers 

 and the larvae pupate in it. If it falls to the ground, the larvae 

 burrow to a depth of a few millimetres and pupate there, the adult 

 fly emerging in from 7 to 10 days. In September the second, more 

 serious attack takes place. Besides these two aestivo-autumnal 

 generations, there may be one in April, attacking the spring figs. 

 L. aristella confines its injury to the fig, and in the province of Naples, 

 where these observations were made, all species of fig were attacked. 

 The fruit of the natal ino variety does not all ripen in autumn, some 

 fruits remaining over the winter and ripening in spring. It is said that 

 larvae are able to hibernate in such fruit, but the author has not had 

 an opportunity of verifying this. Control measures should include 

 the destruction of this variety, which is not of real economic value. 

 The infested flower-clusters should be destroyed in order to kill off 

 the April generation. Infested summer figs should be destroyed so 

 as to prevent the breeding of a second generation. Fresh figs from 

 infested localities should not be exported. Speedy control is necessary, 

 as this pest may adapt itself to varieties at present resistant. 



Harper Gray (R. A.). The prevention of diamond-back moth 



outbreaks.— J/. North of England Hortic. Soc, Leeds, nos. 53, 54, 



Auirust-September 1915, pp. 197-201, 2 figs. [Received 11th 



October 1915.] 



The outbreak of the diamond-back moth [Plutella maadipennis] 



in the summer of 1914 followed previous records in 1901, 1891, 1888, 



