487 



Cecconi (G.). Manuale di Entomologia Forestale. [Manual of Forest 

 Entomology.] — Florence, Fasc. 6, 64 pp., 108 figs. 



The sixth part of this book [see this Review, Ser. A, v, p. 358] 

 covering pp. 321-384 continues the account of the Coleopterous pests 

 of forests. 



Carpenter (G. H.). Injurious Insects and other Animals observed in 

 Ireland during the Years 1914 and 1915. — Econ. Proc. R. Dublin 

 Soc, ii, no. 12, September 1916, pp. 221-233, 8 figs., 4 pi. 

 [Received 10th September 1917.] 



The summer of 1914 was noteworthy for the great abundance and 

 wide-spread occurrence of the diamond-back moth, PhUella maculi- 

 pennis, Curtis {cruciferarum, ZelL), which caused extensive damage 

 to the leaves of Cruciferous crops, especially white turnips and swedes. 

 Caterpillars of the turnip moth, Euxoa {Agrotis) segetum, L., were 

 very destructive to cabbage and turnip in King's Co. and Queen's Co. 

 in late July and early August, eating the plants just below the surface 

 of the ground. The cabbage fly, Chortophila (Phorbia) brassicae, Bch., 

 was, as usual, abundant, and the maggots were even found feeding on 

 radishes in a garden in Co. Dublin. The oat aphis, Aphis avenae, F., 

 of which the migratory apple aphis, A. fitchi, is a synonym, swarmed 

 on oats in Co. Kerry in July 1915. This species is harmful, both in 

 the orchard and on grain crops; the winged males and wingless 

 females are found in late autumn on apple trees, where the latter lay 

 their eggs, from which arise the stem-mothers of the following spring. 

 After a few generations of parthenogenetic females, winged insects 

 appear, which migrate to grasses, including cereals. Some of the 

 Aphids on oats proved to be Macrosiphum grmmrium, Buckt. The 

 potato aphis, Rhopalosiphuni solani, Tlieo., was found in March 1914 

 feeding on the developing shoots of potato tubers from Co. Antrim, 

 owing apparently to the autumn females having oviposited on the 

 tubers. This aphis has been confused with R. dianthi, which is a 

 species with many food-plants. The sexual forms are as yet unknown, 

 but the parthenogenetic females, even the winged forms, are able to 

 live underground, so that o\aposition probably occurs on the tubers. 

 The larvae of a species of Bibio feeding in potato tubers was reported 

 from Co. Tyrone in March 1914. Damage to potatoes by caterpillars 

 of the rosy rustic moth, Hydroecia tnicacea, Esp., was reported from 

 Co. Louth in July 1915. This caterpillar, like that of the frosted 

 orange moth, Gortgna flavago {ochracea), both feeds and shelters in the 

 hollowed-out stalk, its usual host-plants being the dock {Rumejc) and 

 horsetail (Equisetum). When fully grown, it pupates in tlie soil, close 

 to the roots cf its food-plant, and the moth emerges in Augu&t and 

 September, laying eggs that carry the species over the winter. These 

 caterpillars cause great injury owing to their habit of going from one 

 plant to another, and nothing can be done to destroy them short of 

 jJuUing up and burning the infested plants. The larvae of the black 

 carrion beetle, Silpha opaca, L., were reported from Westmeath in 

 June 1915 as damaging the leaves of young mangel plants. The 

 brassy flea-beetle, Chaetocnema {Plectroscelis) concinna, Marsh., was 

 reported as abundant on young mangel plants. This small species 

 attacks Cruciferous crops, being included under the general term 



