322 



Bourne (B. A.). Report of the Assistant Director of Agriculture on 

 the Entomological and Mycological Work carried out during the 

 Season under Re\iev/.—Rept. Dept. Agric, 1919-20, Barbados, 

 1921. pp. 10-31. 



Plant inspection and fumigation were carried on throughout the 

 year, many consignments being destroyed to prevent the possible 

 introduction of the sugar-cane froghopper, Tomaspis saccharina, Dist. 

 {varia, F.). 



The insects identified during the year included : — the Chalcid, 

 Fuplectriis fiirniiis, Wlk., bred from larvae of Protoparce cingidata ; 

 the Tenebrionid, Alphitobius piceus, 01., on cotton seed from Venezuela ; 

 Agromyza sp., mining leaves of cowpeas; the Lepidoptera, Perigea 

 albigera, attacking Chrysanthemum leaves ; and Plutella maculipennis, 

 on cabbage ; and the Jassid, Balclntha sp., on maize. 



Diaprepes abbreviatus, L. (sugar-cane root borer) continued to be a 

 serious pest ; the importance of collecting the adults immediately 

 after their first flight is urged, in view of the fact that the numbers 

 of eggs found in each of 12 beetles examined ranged from 294 to 530. 

 Diatraea saccharalis, F. (moth borer) caused considerable damage ; 

 care should be taken that only healthy cuttings are planted ; the 

 collection of egg-masses and the preservation of parasites from them 

 has greatly reduced infestation. Minor sugar-cane pests included 

 Pseudococcus calceolariae , P. sacchari, Aspidiotus sacchari and the 

 mite, Tarsonenins spinipes, Hirst. 



Cotton was slightty injured by the leaf blister mite, Eriophyes 

 gossypii, Banks, and the stems by the red maggot, Porricondyla 

 gossypii, Coq. Aletia lurid ula and Alabama argillacea comidiexdXAy re- 

 duced the crop when dusting with Paris green was neglected. During 

 the period of drought, Aphids appeared in numbers, but were soon 

 checked by a lacewing, Chrysopa sp., and a Coccinellid, Cycloneda 

 sangiiinea, L. Diaprepes abbreviatus destroj'ed the roots of many 

 cotton plants on fields formerly used for sugar-cane. 



Sweet potatoes {Ipomoea batatas) were injured by a serious outbreak 

 of Protoparce cingulata, ¥., in one localit^^ Though it was apparently 

 absent at first, the Tachinid parasite, Sturmia distincta, Wied., fmally 

 checked the infestation, assisted by the activities of field mice against 

 the pupae and of blackbirds against the larvae. Thrips and 

 Tetranychus telarius (red spider) were also troublesome during the 

 drought, and were controlled by dusting with equal parts of flowers 

 of sulphur and lime. 



Laphygma frugiperda, S. & A. (corn-ear worm) did considerable 

 damage to maize. A mixture of equal parts of lead arsenate and 

 hydrated lime, well dusted among the folded leaves of each plant, 

 proved a good remedy. Plutella mactdipennis, Curt., caused the 

 entire loss of many plantings of cabbages on the southern part of the 

 island. A spray of 3 lb. lead arsenate to 50 gals, of water, with the 

 addition of an adhesive substance, is recommended. Thrips tabaci, 

 Lind., attacked shallot {Allium ascalonicuin) , and was controlled by 

 nicotine sulphate. A lace-bug, probably Corythaica monacha, was 

 abundant on egg-plants {Solanum melongcna) ; a spray of 8 lb. fish-oil 

 soap in 50 gals, of water, sprayed on the upper surface of the leaves 

 when the bugs were present, proved a good remedy. Larvae of the 

 Cossid, Duomitus punctifer, Hmps., infested whitewood {Tecoma 

 leucoxylon), and the branches thus destroyed were pruned off and 

 burnt ; in cases of slight infestation the larvae were extracted with 

 a hooked wire or the burrows were fumigated with carbon bisulphide. 



