173 



batches of eggs are laid in cracks in the bark or wood. The caterpillars 

 hatch in the following March, and pupation occurs in April and May. 

 The larval stage lasts about 40 days and the pupal stage from 14 to 

 25 days. The pupae are usually found protected by leaves, under 

 the bark and in cracks in the trunks. Very occasionally they occur 

 in the young fruit of the almond. There is one generation a year only. 

 In south Italy the caterpillars live on Mespilus gernmnica (medlar), 

 Prunus domestica (plum), P. amygdalus (almond), P. armeniaca (apricot) 

 P. nmhaleb and Pyrus mains (apple). Other authors have also recorded 

 it from Prunus avium (bird cherry), P. cerasus (cherry), P. insititia 

 (damson) and Pyrus communis (pear). Besides feeding on the leaves 

 the caterpillars construct a shelter by binding them so as to form a 

 case. On the almond and plum 3 or 4 leaves are used for this purpose 

 and from 4 to 6 on the medlar, where the case always encloses the 

 flower-bud or the young fruit, which are perforated or entirely 

 destroyed. The leaves only of the plum, apricot, apple and Prunus 

 mahaleb are injured. On the almond the leaves are usually attacked, 

 the young fruit being very rarely injured, 



A. variegana has five natural enemies : an Encyrtid, Copidosoinu sp., 

 the Braconids, Ascogaster quadridenkitus, Wesm., AjMnteles longi- 

 caudis, Wesm., and Macrocentrus thoracicus, Nees, and the Ichneu- 

 monid, Pristomerus vulnerator, Curtis. By collecting the caterpillars 

 of A. variegana and placing them in boxes covered with a wire netting 

 of 2-millimetre mesh the adult parasites will be able to escape while 

 the moths will be retained. Ascogaster quadridentatus and Pristomerus 

 vulnerator both parasitise Cydia {Carpocapsa) pomonella as well. If 

 artificial control becomes necessary, a spray containing 1 per cent. 

 of lead arsenate in paste form, or | per cent, in powder form, should 

 be employed. 



Destruicao dos Cupins. [Termite Destruction.] — Chacaras e Quintaes, 

 S. Paulo, xvi, no. 6, 15th December 1917, pp. 477-479, 2 figs. 



The termites mentioned in this article as occurring in Brazil include 

 Eutermes ripperti, Ramb., Termes tenuis. Hag., T. strunki, Soren., 

 and T. spinosus, Latr. 



A simple means of destroying a termite mound consists in hollowing 

 out a chamber in one side of its base, in which straw or other material 

 is placed and set alight, a draught being ensured by a hole driven 

 obliquely through the mound, leading from the top of the combustion 

 chamber to a point high wp on the opposite side. 



Paravicini (E.). Zur Biologie der Maulwurfsgrille. [The Biology 

 of the Mole-Cricket.] — Schweiz. Zeitschr. Obst- u. Weinbau, Frauen- 

 feld, xxvii, no. 3, 9th February 1918, pp. 40-42. 



This paper records experiments in feeding Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa 

 (vulgaris) with sawdust. The larvae did not feed on this material, 

 but the adults were capable of digesting it, thus proving their ability 

 to attack woody tissue. G. gryllotalpa is therefore able to injure the 

 roots of fruit-trees and cannot be regarded as a market-garden pest 

 only. 



