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Pisonia macrophylla, Chionaspis solani on tomato, Antonina bambusae 

 on bamboo, Pseudococcus virgatus on Ficus sp. and Cassia mimosoides, 

 a,nd Coccus (Lecanuim) hesperidum on Ficus sp., etc. 



Sooty mould which, has been supposed to be a newly introduced 

 pest from Ceylon has probably existed in Seychelles for many 

 centuries and since it is a commensal of scale- insects, it is unfortunate 

 that Chrysomphalus (Aspidiotus) dictyospenni, A. lataniae and 

 Chionaspis inday have recently been introduced on coconut from 

 Mahe. 



Owing to the exportation of copra and poonac (oil-cake residue) 

 having been stopped for over six months for lack of transport, stores 

 of these substances and rotten nuts have been found to be infested 

 with the Coleoptera, Dermestes cadaverinus, Necrobia rufipes, Silvanus 

 surinamensis, Carpopliilus dimidiatus var. contingens, as well as by 

 Dipterous and Microlepidopterous larvae. . 



Necrobia rufipes is recorded everywhere as breeding in salt fish, 

 more or less decomposed, and its presence in stored copra is supposed 

 to be due to the accidental storage of both in the same room. It is 

 believed to be a purely predaceous insect, feeding on Dipterous and 

 Microlepidopterous larvae, but whether it also destroys the larvae of 

 Silvanus surinamensis found everywhere in poonac stored for a short 

 time, is not yet definitely known. The latter beetle can be destroyed 

 by fumigating wdth carbon bisulphide under a tarpaulin. 



Diseases of coconut palms due to insect pests are everywhere 

 ])reva]ent and virulent, the worst being that caused by the beetle, 

 Melitmnma insulare, which attacks trees that are not well planted. 

 This insect, which is not found attacking other plants, is incapable of 

 prolonged flight. It oviposits near the ground in cracks of the stem 

 that are generally caused by the emergence of aerial roots in neglected 

 plantations. The larvae may be easily removed by excision of the 

 diseased tissues, care being taken to tar or Hme the wounds. 

 A severe attack kills a young tree in two years, the usual effect, 

 however, being to weaken the tree during several years till it becomes 

 the prey of other diseases. 



The scale-insects infesting coconuts include Chrysomphalus aonidum 

 {Aspidiotus ficus) (black barnacle scale) ; Chionaspis i?iday, which 

 usually attacks only mature leaves, except in the case of flamed trees, 

 when it is found on the newly- expanded ones ; Eucalymnatus 

 (Lecanium) tessellatus (cinnamon scale) ; Aspidiotus lataniae and 

 Chrysomphalus (A.) dictyospermi (white barnacle scales) ; and a new 

 scale, A. ansei, that attacks the vigorous, unexpanded heart leaves and 

 is a virulent pest that is rapidly spreading. The only relief measure 

 r.t present possible is the burning of the infected tree on the spot. 

 Leaflets attacked assume a bright yellow colour along the midrib, 

 which renders them conspicuous objects for a long distance. 

 Fortunately scales of the genus Aspidiotus are heavily infested by the 

 beneficial fungus, Cephalosporium lecanii. Sickly trees, grown under 

 shade and not manured, and flamed trees are predisposed to scale 

 msect attack, and it has been found that Pandanus trees growing in 

 moist soil under natural conditions are free from Hemichionaspis 

 uspidistrae, while neighbouring trees on rocky banks were heavily 

 infested. A newly introduced scale, Iscknaspis longirostris {filiformis), 

 is recorded on coconut and oil palms, as well as on Liberian coffee. 



