394 



The male larva begins to pupate earlier than the female, passing 

 through a pre-pupal and a pupal stage, the latter lasting from 10 to 15 

 days, before emergence. 



Predaceous insects that exercise some measure of control over 

 E. cupressi, without however affecting its abundance very materially, 

 include the Coccinellids. NipWs hijilagiatus, Casey, Chilocoriis bivuluerus, 

 Muls., and Hippodmnia convergens, Guer., the Nitidulid, Cyhocephalus 

 californicus, Horn, and larvae of the brown lacewmg, Sympherobius 

 angustus, Banks. A few examples of a small Hymenojjterous parasite 

 have been reared from caged material of the scale- insect, but this 

 parasite is evidently very scarce. The scarcity of the scale in the Sierras 

 would indicate that a parasite may be attacking it, but none has as 

 yet been recorded. 



A number of experiments in control, with the use of various materials, 

 are described. A 12 1 per cent, solution of a very high gravity miscible 

 oil (such as 33° Be.) is recommended for spraying. This should be 

 appUed twice, once in August and once in the latter part of September, 

 and the spray must be made to pienetrate well into the cavities of the 

 bark. Other recommendations for control are the cutting out and 

 destruction of all dying trees or limbs and the purchase for planting 

 of clean stock only. When the trees are not intended to form hedges 

 or windbreaks, a wide space should be left between each in planting, 

 cypresses being placed fully 40-50 feet apart. 



Insects frequently found in association with E. cupressi on cypress 

 include tlje cypress bark-beetles, PJiloeosinus cupressi, Hopk., and 

 P. cristatus, Lee, which cause the death of many trees. Besides being 

 primary pests these beetles readily attack trees wealcened by the 

 cypress scale. The mealy-bugs, Pseudococcus ryani, Coq., P. sequoiae, 

 Colem., and P. cupressicolus, Ferris, also do some damage, as well as 

 the scales, Xylococcus fnacrocarpae, Colem., Eulecanium. (Lecanium) 

 ■corni, Bch., Diaspis carueli, Targ., Aspidioius hederae, ValL, and 

 A. ehrhorni, Colem. Various other cypress pests are Phymatodes nitidus, 

 I^ec, Atimia confusa, Say, TrachyJcele hlondeli, Mars., Argyresthia 

 cupressella, Wals. (cypress moth), Cydia cupressana, Kear. (cypress 

 cone-borer), Sirex californicus, Ashm. (horn-tail wasp), Lachniella 

 tujafilina, del Guer. (arborvitae aphis) and an undetermined tussock 

 moth. 



Tryon (H.). The Banana Weevil {Cosmopolites sordida, Chevr.). 

 Considerations influencing Methods of Repression.— Queensland 

 Agric. Jl, Brisbane, xiii, no. 5, May 1920, pp. 222-223. 



In furtherance of the suggestions for the control of Cosmopolites 

 sordidus (banana w^eevil) in a recent paper [R.A.E., A, viii, p. 337] a 

 warning is issued regarding the kind of traps used for the adults. It is 

 pointed out tliat if sections of the banana stem are used as traps, the 

 weevils will approach them for feeding purposes, but for ovipositiou 

 will turn to some available banana plant in the vicinity. If on the 

 other hand a portion of the corm or root-stock is used as a trap, the 

 beetles will breed in it, and may thus infest neighbouring plants that 

 have previously been healthy. Collecting weevils from the traps every 

 morning will reduce this migration to some extent. 



