47 



Ramakrtshna Ayyar (T. V.). A new Pest of the Coconut Palm on 

 the West Coast, ContJieyla rotunda, Hmp. — Madras Agric. Dept. 

 Year Book 1917, Madras, 2nd February 1917, pp. 91-96, 2 figs. 



The Limacodid moth, Coniheyla rotunda, although known to coconut 

 cultivators for several years as doing insignificant damage to the 

 leaf-tips, had never been recorded as a pest until December 1915, 

 when reports of damage due to it were received simultaneously from 

 some seaside villages in the Cochin State, and from south Malabar, a 

 second outbreak in the latter district occurring in February 1916. 

 The caterpillars are gregarious and in bad cases skeletonise the coconut 

 fronds, the more mature leaves of older trees being chiefly affected. 



The life-history is as yet imperfectly known. The eggs are laid in 

 groups on the leaf-surface, each adult female being capable of producing 

 from 50 to 170. They hatch in about four days, the full-fed larva 

 constructing a brown shell-like cocoon within w^hich it pupates, a 

 generation from egg to adult taking approximately six weeks, while 

 there are at least two generations in the year. So far no other host-plant 

 has been found, though it is not unlikely that other palms may serve 

 this purpose. A Chalcid and a Braconid parasite have been found 

 attacking the larvae. 



The easiest and most practicable method of control is that carried 

 out by the natives, which consists in cutting away and burning the 

 affected fronds early in the season. Spraying with arsenate of lead 

 is impracticable in the case of large trees with mature foliage, which 

 are the only ones that the pest attacks. 



Ramakrishna Ayyar (T. V.). Note on the Egg-laying Habits of the 

 Agathi Weevil, Alcides bubo, Fb. — Madras Agric. Dept. Year Book 

 1917, Madras, 2nd February 1917, pp. 97-99. 



Alcides bubo, F., has often been noted as a serious pest in betel vine 

 gardens on Sesbania (agathi), where the latter is grown as a standard 

 for the vines, while it also feeds on Cyamopsis (cluster bean) and 

 indigo in S. India. 



The eggs are laid in incisions in the tender shoots. The same stem 

 or shoot may be attacked several times, as this weevil is present in the 

 field in all stasfes at all seasons of the vear. 



Baker (A. C). The Correct Name for our Apple-Grain Aphis. — 



Science, Lancaster, Pa., xlvi, no. 1191, 26th October 1917, 

 pp. 410-411. 



The author is of opinion that more than one species occurs upon 

 grains and grasses under the name of Aphis avenae, F. One of these 

 migrates to apple and related trees, on which eggs are laid, this 

 species being A. prunifoliae. Fitch. Another species, the oat aphis, 

 migrates to bird cherries in Europe and must be known as A. padi, L., 

 of which A. avenae, F., is a synonym. The species now known as 

 A. cerasifoliae. Fitch, migrates to grains and grasses as does A. padi, 

 and is possibly the same species. The present treatment of 

 A. prunifoliae as a synonym of A. cardui, L., is incorrect. 



