412 



Tobacco growers are asked to be on tbe watcb for Lema bilineata, 

 which it is thought was originally imported from South America with 

 forage. This beetle feeds readily on Stramonium and several weeds 

 such as Physalis and Nicandra that are closely related to the Cape 

 gooseberry. Fortunately it feeds very little on potato plants, but its 

 increase in tobacco plantations may necessitate the application of 

 arsenical sprays several times every season, thus greatly increasing 

 the cost of tobacco production. The eggs are laid in clusters of 

 15 to 40 on the leaves of food-plants. The period of oviposition 

 stretches over several months, and the total number of eggs deposited 

 varies from 1,000 to 2,000. During the summer the grubs mature in 

 about 2 weeks from the laying of the eggs. They enter the ground for 

 pupation, the adult emerging about a fortnight later. During the 

 winter the beetles hide and may thus be easily carried in bales of 

 tobacco from one place to another. 



The Melyrid beetle, Astylus atromaculatiis, which has become very 

 abundant in lucerne fields near Pretoria during the last few years, was 

 probably also imported from South America. The larvae are appar- 

 ently carnivorous, and the beetles are thought to live on insect eggs 

 and soft-bodied insects. Psammodes illotus occurred in great numbers 

 during December. The adult beetles are apparently harmless, but the 

 larvae are supposed to feed on roots of plants. Although maize and 

 wheat have been attacked, this pest is far more abundant at the roots 

 of veld grasses than on cultivated land. 



The butterfly, Belenois mesentina, appeared in swarms during 

 December in northern Natal and in the southern part of the Transvaal. 

 It is not known to be a pest of cultivated plants, but has been reared 

 from Rhus sp., probably R. viminalis, and it is suspected that the 

 larvae sometimes defoliate Capparis albitrunca. 



The San Jose scale [Aspidiotus perniciosus] is apparently spreading 

 into many fresh districts in spite of the precautionary measures in force. 



Army Mystery Worm. Action in Case of Recurrence. — Jl. Dept. 

 Agric, Pretoria, i, no. 4, July 1920, pp. 391-393. 



During April 1920 extensive damage was caused to potato, barley 

 and maize fields in the Uitenhage district by the army worm, Laphijgma 

 exempta. In several instances the crop was entirely destroyed. 



Should this pest appear in teif and other sown grasses, they should 

 be at once mown down in order to expose the caterpillars to their 

 many natural enemies and thus prevent their spread. In cultivated 

 fields sweetened poison-bait is the most effective remedial measure. 

 The preparation advocated consists of 1 lb. of sodium arsenite, 2 lb. of 

 sugar or 2 qts. of molasses, 16 gals, of water and as much bran or 

 finely cut grass as the liquid will moisten. About 100 lb. of bait should 

 be spread to the acre. 



Severin (H, C). Tlie Colorado Potato Beetle. — South Dakota State 

 Entom. Office, Brookings, Circ, 13, November 1919, 8 pp., 1 fig. 

 [Received 20th July 1920.] 



This circular describes the life-history [R.A.E., A, iv, 172] and control 

 of Leptinotarsa decemlineata. Say, in South Dakota. The spray 

 materials recommended are : — 1 lb. calcium arsenate and 2 lb. freshly 

 slaked lime ; 1 lb. lead arsenate or zinc arsenite ; or | lb. Paris Green 



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