10 



the winter control of woolly aphis [Eriosoma lanigerum]. Black-leaf 40 

 is recommended for a sunnner spray, but it exercises only a temporary 

 check. There is apparently no ad\'antage in adding lime-sulphur to it. 



HuTsoN (J. C). Thvi Paddy Swarming Caterpillar {Spodoplcra maun/ia, 

 Boisd.). — Trop. Agric, Peradeniva, Iv, no. [^, St'i)tembt'r 1920, 

 pp. 133-140, 1 plate. 



An outbreak of Spodoptera mauritia, Boisd., occurred during 

 November and December 1919 in some districts in Ceylon. The eggs 

 of this moth hatch in from 7 to 10 days, and the caterpillars become 

 full grown about a month after emergence. They then migrate to the 

 edge of the fields and pupate in the soft earth, pupation lasting about 

 two weeks and the total life-cycle from egg to the emergence of adults 

 varying from 7 to 10 weeks according to chmatic conditions, food- 

 supply, etc. 



Infestation may be prevented by early sowing, good cultivation, and 

 collection of egg-masses. Remedial measures vary according to the 

 particular local conditions, their essential aim being the destruction 

 of the caterpillars and the prevention of their spread to neighbouring 

 fields [R.A.E., A, v, 500]. 



The natural enemies include parasitic Hymenoptera, fungous and 

 bacterial diseases, predatory bugs and a beetle, Cicindela sexpunctata, F. 



HuTSON (J. C). Crop Pests in Ceylon. — Trop. Agric, Peradeniya, 

 Iv, no. 3, September 1920, p. 160. 



The pests reported between 1st January and 30th June 1920 include 

 the cockchafer grubs, Lepidiota pinguis and Anomala superflua, attacking 

 roots of tea bushes ; red slug, Heterusia cingala, on tea ; Spodoptera 

 mauritia (swarming caterpillar) and Leptocorisa varicornis (paddy 

 bug) on rice ; Corcyra cephalonica (rice moth) in stored rice and dried ; 

 cacao beans ; Agrotis spp. in vegetable gardens, against which collec- 

 tion of the cutworms and protection of young plants by means of tin 

 circles or paper bands is apparently the best measure. 



A consignment of Coccinellid beetles, Novius cardinalis, has been 

 received from South Africa [R.A.E., A, viii, 519]. 



Newstkal) (R.) & MoKKis (H. M.). Bionomic, Morphological and 

 Economic Report on the Acarids of Stored Grain and Flour : 

 Part ii. — Repts. Grain Pests {War) Committee, Royal Society, 

 London, 1920, no. 8, pp. 1-15, 5 plates. [Received 4th November 

 1920.] 



This report deals with the species of Acarids discovered in flour since 

 the publication of the eariier results [R.A.E., A, vii, 91], and records 

 experimental work in connection with preventive and remedial 

 measures against them. 



TyroglypJms longior, Gerv., which is a flour pest of primary import- 

 ance, is so remarkably similar to T. siro, L., that its separation from that 

 species is an extremely difficult matter. The chief points of contrast 

 between the two are enumerated. 



Histiogaster entomophagus, Lab., of which all stages except the 

 hypopial nymph are described, lives in flour in much the same way as 

 T. {Aleurobius) Jarinae [loc. cit.], and though multiplying less rapidly 



