278 



Efflatoun (H. C.)- Notes on the Strawberry Leaf Beetle {Galerucella 

 tenella, Linn.). — Ann. App. Biol, Cambridge Univ. Press, iv, no. 4, 

 March 1918, pp. 206-210, 3 figs. 



Larvae of Galerucella tenella (strawberry-leaf beetle) have lately 

 been doing considerable damage to strawberry plants in County 

 Monaghan, Ireland. This paper gives some notes on the life-history, 

 but it is hoped that fuller details of the bionomics will be published 

 later. The stages of the insect from larva to adult are described. 

 Both larvae and adults eat the upper and lower epidermis and the 

 soft underlying tissue, leaving the opposite layer of epidermis intact. 

 If these injured leaves are left exposed to weather conditions, the 

 wounds develop into holes through the leaf and are misleading in 

 identifying the insect causing the damage. The larvae were mature 

 when received, so that nothing is known of their earlier history ; pupa- 

 tion occurred on 21st to 24th June, the adijlt beetles appearing on the 

 22nd to 26th July. At the least sound the beetles feign death and 

 drop to the ground, where they burrow out of sight. They feed 

 chiefly during the night or early morning. 



Petherbkidge (F. R.) & Husain (M. A.). A Study of the Capsid Bugs 

 found on Apple Trees. — Ann. App. Biol., Cambridge Univ. Press, 

 iv, no. 4, March 1918, pp. 179-205, 3 plates. 



This paper gives an account of investigations undertaken to 

 determine the exact damage to apples done by Capsids which have 

 been the subject of earlier studies [see this Review, Ser. A, v, p. 290], 

 and records fuller details of their life-histories. The information 

 collected is however only the result of preliminary study and further 

 work in this direction is being carried on. The species of Capsids 

 damaging apple trees in England are Plesiocoris rugicollis, Orthotylus 

 marginalis, Psallus ambiguus, Atractotomvs mali and Lygus pratensis. 



Plesiocoris rugicollis was found to be the only Capsid that caused 

 marking of the leaves, fruit or shoots, the damage done by the other 

 species being unimportant. The eggs of this species are laid in June 

 and July in the soft stem of the current year, in many cases very near 

 the apex and in some cases at the thickened bases of the twigs. They 

 are apparently deposited indiscriminately in lenticels or in slits made 

 for the purpose in other parts of the stem. The eggs remain in the 

 shoots throughout the winter, and after a few months it is impossible 

 to detect their presence in the shoot by external examination. If 

 the bark is peeled off, the eggs are generally found adhering to the 

 inner side of it. The larvae hatch during April and at once begin 

 to feed on the tender or half-opened leaves, usually on the upper sur- 

 face. It is difficult to shake them from the trees at this stage, as they 

 usually obtain a hold on some lower portion of the tree. The five 

 instars of the immature insects are described. Several stages may be 

 present at the same time on the trees. "When the fruit sets, the bugs 

 are in the 3rd, 4th and 5th stages, and shortly after this they begin 

 to injure the fruit and continue to do so until the apples are about an 

 inch in diameter. Adults feed chiefly on the leaves and shoots and do 

 very little damage to the fruit. When the young stem is punctured a 

 brown fluid oozes out and the stem frequently cracks and may be 



