298 



by scales, chiefly Aspidiotus sp., the shelter provided by the leaves 

 creating excellent conditions for them. Minor insect pests of little 

 economic importance are also recorded. 



Dash (J. S.). Maladies des Plantes et les Pestes d'Insectes. — Premier 

 Rapport Sta. Agrononi. Guadeloupe, 1918-1919; Pointe-a-Pitre. 

 1920, pp. 29-32. 



Pests of sugar-cane include Diatraea saccharalis, F., which also 

 attacks sorghum and is distributed over the whole island. Great 

 damage is caused to the lower parts of the stem by the larvae of 

 Diuprepes abbreviatus, L., var. distinguendus, 01., D. fameUcus, 01., 

 D. nmrginatus, 01., and another species of Diaprepes not yet identified. 

 During the pupal stage these weevils remain for over 300 days in the 

 soil. The eggs are laid on the leaves. Another beetle, Cyclocephala 

 tridentata, F., attacks the young roots of sugar-cane. 



C'otton pests include the stainers, Dysdercus discolor and D. avdreae, 

 and the cotton moth, Alabama argillacea. 



Anticarsia gemmatalis was found attacking late-sown velvet beans. 

 The larvae of this moth are parasitised by Coelichneunion serricorne,^ 

 Cress. Cowpeas have been attacked by Bruchus (piadrimacidatus. 

 Other miscellaneous insects include : a Reduviid, Zelus rubidus, found 

 in cotton lint and probably predaceous on other insects, and an 

 unidentified Psychid attacking flamboyant {Poinciana regia). 



Brethes (J.). El Bicho de Cesto [The Bagworm.] Como vive, se 

 multiplica y se difunde. Su Destrucci6n por Medio de los 

 Parasites naturales. — Anales Soc. Rural Argentina, Buenos Aires, 

 liv, no. 6, 1st April 1920, pp. 235-247, 20 figs. 



An account is given of Oeceticus platensis (Argentine bagworm), 

 which is one of the insects most injurious to trees in that country. 

 Its food-plants are so numerous that there are only a few, such as 

 Eucalyptus, paradise tree, etc., that are not attacked by it. 



Much of the information here given has already been noticed 

 [R.A.E., A, vi, 315, 517]. A full hst of the parasites of 0. platensis 

 is given, and includes, in addition to those dealt with in previous 

 papers, a number of Ichneumonids, the Chalcidids. Spilochalcis bergi,' 

 Kirby. and Tetrastichus oeceticola, and a Braconid, Ipobracon oeceticola, . 

 Brethes. These are, however, only incidental parasites, the most 

 important being Tetrastichus platensis and Parexorista caridei. An 

 account is given of these two parasites. T. platensis oviposits in the 

 larva of 0. platensis an"d completes its development within the bag, 

 causing the death of a large proportion of the bagworms. P. caridei 

 apparently oviposits on the larva of the bagworm when the latter 

 protrudes its head from the bag to feed, tlie young larvae making 

 their way into the body-cavity of the host. When mature, the larva 

 abandons its host and either pupates within the bag, or, more fre- 

 quently, drops to the ground for pupation a little below the soil surface. 

 There are two or three and sometimes more generations in a year. 



The campaign of 1919-1920 against the bagworm was continued 

 on the lines of previous years [loc. cit.]. and distributions of the parasites 



