488 



" turnip-fly," and it is very destructive to hops in the south of England, 

 where it is known as the " hop-flea." It is diflicult to destroy these insects 

 on a large scale, but arsenical sprays might give good results. The green 

 leaf-beetle, Phaedon tumidiilus, Germ., is a common insect in Ireland 

 on cow-parsnip {Heradeutn spJiondyliv7n) , and in November 1914 it 

 was found eating holes in the leaves of celery plants in Co. Dublin. 

 The carrot fly, Psila rosae, F., was found in carrots from Co. Clare in 

 August 1914, and in celery plants from Co. Sligo in December 1915, 

 boring upwards into the stems. Piophila apii, Westw., recorded in 

 1848 as mining in celery stems, is probably a synonym of this species. 

 The flax flea-beetle, Longitarsus parvidus, Payk., was particularly 

 abundant and destructive in Ulster in June 1915. The caterpillars 

 of the turnip moth, Euxoa {Agroiis) segetiim, Schiff., had been recorded 

 four years previously as harmful to tobacco plants, and similar reports 

 were received in October 1914 from King's Co. and elsewhere, the 

 damage being greatest on light, gravelly soils. Specimens of the 

 heart-and-dart moth, Feltia {Agrotis) exdamationis, L., were at the 

 same time found on tobacco leaves, also in King's Co. The common 

 shield-bug, Tropicoris rufipes, was reported in July 1915 from 

 Kilkenny as injuring young apjiles by puncturing the skin and sucking 

 the sap. In June 1915 another common bug, Palomena prasiTia, 

 injured apple foliage in Co. Galway. A Capsid bug, Lygus pahidinus, 

 has already been recorded as harmful to rose leaves, and a shield-bug, 

 Accmthosoma haemorrhoidale, to apple-buds in Ireland [see this Review, 

 Ser. A, ii, p. 8]. Though active throughout life, the young stages of 

 these insects seem to do more damage than the adults. The most 

 effective remedy seems to be a soap and nicotine mixture. The plum 

 aphis. Aphis pruni, Rcaum., which also attacks damsons, was reported 

 on plum shoots from Co. Longford in July 1915. The garden chafer, 

 Phyllopertha hortieola, L., damaged young apples by gnawing them in 

 Co. Galway, in June 1915, and similar injury was reported by Theobald 

 in the south of England. The clay-coloured weevil, Otiorrhynchus 

 picipes, F., was especially abundant in the orchards of Co. Tyrone 

 during May and June 1914. The best means of control was found 

 to be shaking them off the trees on to cloths laid on the ground, though 

 after the foliage was out this was only done with difficulty owing to 

 their capacity for clinging to the leaves. Apple foliage was damaged 

 by the large caterpillars of the eyed hawk-moth, Sphinx [Smerinthus) 

 ocelhius, L., in August 1915 in Co. Kerry, and by the caterpillars of 

 the apple leaf-miner, Lyoneiia clerkella, L., in Co. Louth in November 

 1914. The latter eat long winding tunnels through the green tissue 

 of the leaves. The moths live through the winter in sheltered cracks 

 and under rubbish, and in April the female layo one egg on each leaf. 

 After about a month the larvae emerge and spin silken cocoons on 

 the leaves, the moths appearing in June and July. From the eggs 

 of these a second brood of caterpillars is developed, which feeds ni 

 July and August and gives rise to a third generation, feeding in 

 Sej>tember and October and hibernating as adults. Nothing but hand- 

 picking and burning the leaves can be recommended for their 

 destruction, though spraying in April with paraffin emulsion might 

 jDrevent egg-laying. Reports of damage to tulip bulbs by the root 

 mite, Rhizoglyphus echinopus, Furn. & Rob., and the white spring- 

 tail, Isotoma tenella, L., were received in May 1915 from Co. Dublin. 



