275 



insects that pass some part of their hfe in the ground, therefore these 

 practices should be continued as far as possible, hoeing being necessary 

 when loopers and sandwich caterpillars are observed to have left the 

 bushes and entered the ground to pupate. 



DupoxT (p. R.). Entomological and Mycological Notes. — Sevchelles : 

 Ann. Kept. Agric. & Crryd'ii Lands 1919, Victoria, 1920, pp. 10-11. 

 [Received 4th April 1921.] 



Melitomma insiilare kills hundreds of coconut palms in full bearing 

 every year by attacking the stems. This beetle has not yet been 

 found attacking other palms, although it is indigenous in Seychelles, 

 while the coconut palm is not. After matint? in galleries in the trees, 

 the adults emerge near the roots, and eggs are laid in cracks ol the 

 stem or scars. The larvae construct galleries in the trunk running 

 towards the soft central tissues that quickly decompose. The 

 abdomen has a horny appendage that protects the larva from ants. 

 The evidence of infestation is the presence of a peculiar dust near 

 the roots and the droopmg of the leaves. Dead tissue containing 

 larvae should be removed, and the wounds tarred over. The adults 

 do not fly well, and cannot easily cover the distance from tree to tree. 

 The destruction of the msect has been made compulsory, as its 

 borings enable the rhinoceros beetle [Oryctes rhinoceros'^ to enter and 

 breed in the trunks, as well as various fungi. In consequence of the 

 disappearance of scale-insects [R.A.E., A, vii, 483], the bread-fruit, 

 jak-fruit, hog plum and oranges are all again appearing in quantities. 



Among the insects identified during the year are Hemichionaspis 

 aspidistrae on areca nut palm, and Eucalyninatus {Lecanium) tessellatiis, 

 L. mangiferae and Aspidiotus dictyospermi pinnulifcra on leaves and 

 Pseudaonidia iota on bark of branches of Eugenia caryophyllata (clove 

 tree). The trees are often killed by these scale-insects, which are more 

 important than is generally realised. Citrus mitis is seriously 

 damaged by Aspidiotus dictyospermi pinnulifcra , which spoils the crop 

 of fruit, which is used for making marmalade, and the twigs, which 

 are distilled for oil. Verschaffeltia splendida (Latte palm) is severely 

 attacked by Aonidia ohtusa on the lower side of the leaves, and to a 

 less extent by Icerya seychellarum and E. tessellatus. flacourtia 

 cataphracta (Madagascar phim) is becoming increasingly infested with 

 Diaspis flacourtiae. 



*'Isle of Wight" Disease of Bees. — //. Minist. Agric, London, xxviii, 

 no. 1, April 1921, pp. 78-81. 



Recent discoveries by Dr. J. Rennie and his collaborators in con- 

 nection with the Isle-of-Wight disease of bees, have led to the con- 

 clusion that the parasitic organism Nosenia apis is not the cause 

 of the disease, as was supposed. A new parasite, a mite belonging 

 to the genus Tarsonemus, hitherto unknown on bees, was discovered 

 on them in 1920. Several species of this genus are destructive to 

 plants, and others have been found in malignant growths in man 

 and animals ; in structure the bee parasite seems to be most closely 

 allied to these last. Examinations of thousands of bees have shown 

 that those suffering from Isle-of-Wight disease invariably harboured 

 this parasite, while Nosema apis was not always present. The mite 

 infests the tracheae only, entering bv the spiracles, and breeding occurs 

 until the tracheae become partly or whollv obstructed. In the 



