210 



[R. A.E., A, viii, 298]. Towards the south of Argentina the bagworms- 

 decrease in number, although the damage does not seem to lessen 

 appreciably ; in these regions the bagworms sometimes hibernate 

 until the following spring. As the parasites are inactive during the 

 winter, as many as possible of the hibernating larvae in the bags 

 should be destroyed at that time ; while a few parasites must inevitably 

 be killed in this way, P. caridei will not be injured, as the larvae 

 are then hibernating in the ground. Tetrastichus platensis is another 

 parasite that destroys many bagworms. 



Diatyaea saccharalis has been found for the first time in Saladillo 

 on maize, though it has already occurred in Tucuman. The lucerne 

 caterpillar [Colias lesbia] has been found to be attacked by a parasite, 

 to which the name Apanteles ayerzai has been given. Many species, 

 both injurious and beneficial, and some that are probably new to 

 science, remain to be studied from the collections sent in during 

 the year. 



Wakefield (E. M.). Diseases of the Oil Palm in West Africa. — 



Bull. Misc. Inform. R. Bot. Gdns., Kew, London, 1920, no. 9, 

 pp. 306-308, 1 plate. 



Oryctes owariensis, P. de B., is recorded as injurious to oil palms in 

 West Africa. The control of this beetle might also reduce the spread 

 of fungous diseases in these palms. 



Fletcher (T. B.). Report of the Imperial Entomologist. — Sci. Repts. 

 Agric. Res. Inst. 1919-20. Calcutta, 1920, pp. 68-94, 7 plates. 

 [Received 18th February 1921.] 



Cotton pests of the year included Sylepta derogata, Phenacoccus 

 hirsutus and P. corynibatus. Hibiscus abelmosckus continues to prove 

 a better trap-crop f6r Earias than either H. esculentus or hollyhock. 

 Microbracon lefroyi, which continues to be the most prominent parasite 

 of Earias, is also chiefly found in pods of H. abelmoschus, in company 

 with the bollworms. The species of Acrocercops referred to in the 

 previous report [R. A.E., A, viii, 83] has now been named A. zygonema, 

 Meyr. The question of determining the relative immunity of cotton 

 varieties was continued. 



Rice borers, as concluded in last year's report, seem to cause relatively 

 little damage in the Pusa district, affecting about 4 per cent, of the 

 crop. The species present include Schoenobius incertellus [bipunctifer) ,. 

 Chilo simplex, C. oryzae and Sesamia infer ens. The Halticid beetle 

 mentioned in the previous report occurs largely on Panicimi miliaceum. 

 It is incapable of injuring plants standing in water, but may cause 

 some damage to dry-land paddy and millets. 



Sugar-cane pests have been dealt with at length in a previous paper 

 [R.A.E., A, ix, 69]. The lines of work followed since its publication 

 in February 1919 are described. Some further data on the life-histories 

 of the D3''nastid beetles, Alissonotum impressicolle, A. piceum and 

 Heteronychus sublaevis are given ; in normal years these are not serious 

 pests of sugar-cane. Autoserica sp. was observed gnawing sugar-cane 

 shoots in the same manner as the above beetles ; this form of damage 

 maybe caused by many Lamellicorn beetles. The Curculionid, Tany- 

 mecus hispidus, and grubs of Anomala dussumieri w^ere recorded as. 

 attacking sugar-cane roots. Argyria timiidicostalis, Hmpsn., which is 

 one of the most injurious borers in sugar-cane, is now known to occur 



