59 



Esta criado o Institute Biologico de Defesa Agricola. [Foundation of 



the Biological Institute for Agricultural Defence.]— C/^acaras e 



Quintaes, S. Paulo, xxii, no. 5, 15th November 1920, p. 355, 1 fig. 



The BraziUan Ministry of Agriculture has estabhshed a Biological 



Institute for Agricultural Defence on the Hues adopted by other 



countries. Dr. Carlos Moreira, up to now Chief of the Entomological 



Laboratory of the National Museum, has been appointed director of 



the new institution. 



Os Insectos damninhos. ix. Caruncho da Madera, Lyctus hrimneiis, 



Stephens. [Injurious Insects, ix. The Timber Beetle, L. ftmww^MS.] 



— Chacaras e Quintaes, S. Paiilo, xxii, no. 5, 15th November 1920, 



pp. 372-373, 1 fig. 



Lyctus brunneus is known in Europe and Australia, and probably 



occurs throughout Brazil, though it has only been recorded there quite 



recently. The female oviposits in felled timber as soon as the bark 



has dried. In Brazil a Clerid, Tarsostenus univittatus, Rossi, and some 



Braconid enemies of it have been discovered. Froggatt has recorded 



a Braconid parasite in Austraha [R.A.E., A, viii, 333] ; there must 



be many species of these in Brazil, as several hundred parasites emerged 



from infested timber under observation. 



SwEZEY (0. H.). The Olapa Weevil, Nesotocus giffardi. — Hawaiian 

 Planters' Record, Honolulu, xxiii, no. 5, November 1920, pp. 264- 

 267, 7 figs. 

 Most of the information here given on Nesotocus giffardi, an endemic 



Hawaiian weevil that attacks the native olapa tree [Cheirodendron) 



has already been noticed \R.A.E., A, viii, 434]. 



Insect Pests and Plant Diseases. — Rept. Agric. Dept., Grenada, April- 

 December 1919 \ Barbados, 1920, pp. 6-7. [Received 15th 

 December 1920.] 



The pests recorded include the acrobat ant [Cremastogaster sp.] 

 which is widespread and causes damage to the cushions of the cacao 

 tree, thereby reducing bearing. Mealy-bugs [Pseiidococcus] are often, 

 found in association with this ant. At present experiments are being 

 carried on with crude oil apphed to the ants' nests and torch fires for the 

 destruction of leaves and pods on the trees where mealy-bugs are found. 

 This latter method is not advocated. Localised attacks of Heliothrips 

 ruhrocinctus, Giard (cacao thrips) are recorded. Bordeaux-nicotine 

 and soap-nicotine washes were used, but it is e\-ident that spraying 

 is useless unless accompanied by good cultivation and cfticient drainage. 

 Aspidiotus destructor (coconut scale) was particularl}' in evidence during 

 the dry months of April and May. Rhynchophorits palmarum (palm 

 weevil) was observed on coconut palms, dying or dead as the result of 

 Nematode attacks. Tomaspis saccharina, Dist. (froghopper) caused 

 damage to sugar-cane ratoons of about twelve years standing. Large 

 areas of maize were destroyed by Diatraea saccharalis, F. (cane moth 

 borer). The pests of limes included Chionaspis citri (orange snow scale), 

 Lepidosaphes beckii (orange mussel scale) and Coccus viridis (green 

 scale). 



Polistes annularis (Jack Spaniard), introduced from St. Vincent, 

 has for some reason or other become almost extinct, but the common 

 Grenada wasp, Polybia occidentalis, is abundant everywhere. 



(7734— A) F 2 



