16 



SciARRA (G.). Contribuzione alia Conoscenza della Carpocapsa pomo- 

 nella, L. [Contribution to our knowledge of Cydia {Carpocapsa} 

 pomcnella, L.]. — Reprint from Boll. Lab. Zool. Agrar., R. Scuola 

 Sup. Agric., Portici, x, 30th June 1915, pp. 33-50, 1 fig. 

 [Received 5th November 1915.] 



This paper gives an account of the bionomics of C. pomonella and 

 the damage done by the larvae. All fallen fruits except those blown 

 down by wind are said to have been attacked by this pest ; the results 

 of the examination of 800 apples, which bear out this statement, are 

 given. Flacherie is stated to cause great mortality among the first 

 generation of larvae, especially in the insectary ; the disease known 

 as " calcino," which kills large numbers of silkworms, is the cause of 

 even more deaths. The following parasites were actually observed by 

 the author : Hymenoptera : The Ichneumonids, Hemiteles inimicus, 

 Grav., Pimpla roborator, ¥., Trichomma enecator, Rossi, Caenocryjjtus 

 vittatorius, Jur., Pristomerus vulnerator, Panz., Phygadeuon variicornis. 

 Thorns. ; the Braconids, Ascogaster qimdridentatus, Wesm., Ascogaster 

 rufipes, Lat., Microdus conspicuus, Wesm., and the Chalcids, Dibrachys 

 boucheanus, Ratz., and Perilamjyus laevifrons, Dalm. Diptera : the 

 Tachinid, Leskia aurea, Fall. The following have been recorded by 

 other observers : — Hymenoptera : The Ichneumonids, Campoplex 

 pomorum, Ratz., Pimpla annulipes, Brulle, Stylocryptus brevis, Grav., 

 and Pristomerus vulnerator, Panz. ; the Braconid, Heterogamus 

 (Macrocentrus) delicatus, Cress. ; the Chalcids, Entedon leptoneurus, 

 Ratz., Eulophus bulmeringii, Ratz., Perilampus laevifrons, Dalm., 

 andtheProctotrupid, /nosfemma6osm, Latr. Diptera : the Tachinid, 

 Actia p)omonellae, Schnabl & Mokrz. From 130 larvae of Cydia 

 collected in 1912, 25 adults were reared and 31 parasites, the remainder 

 dying from fungus diseases. For purposes of comparison with these 

 laboratory results, 27 trees loaded with fruit were banded just below 

 the fork on 24th July 1912 ; the belts were examined on 31st July 

 and 1st and 2nd August and yielded 381 larvae and 106 pupae of 

 Cydia and 13 adults of Dibrachys boucheanus. Unfortunately the 

 bulk of the larvae and pupae were killed by fungus disease but 11 

 imagines of Cydia and 77 parasites were reared of which 65 were 

 D. boucheanus. In the following year 74 larvae and 26 pupae of the 

 second generation yielded 22 adult Cydia, '^Tl T>. boucheanus, and 5 

 Ascogaster rufipes. Experimental proof was obtained that the 

 Dibrachys is a true parasite of Cydia and not a h5rperparasite, a single 

 pupa of Cydia placed in a tube with a male and female Dibrachys 

 yielding 34 adult parasites after 25 days. 



As spraying with arsenicals cannot be practised against the larvae 

 of the second generation, it is suggested that the collection of the larvae 

 of the first should be carried out in such a manner as to ensure the 

 rearing and liberation of the largest possible number of parasites. 

 The bulk of the larvae were found near the base of the trees and generally 

 on the side of the trunk facing the south-west. The cost of hand 

 collection of the larvae being prohibitive, banding with sacking below 

 the main fork and also below each secondary fork is suggested. The 

 larvae so collected should be put into boxes the top of which are covered 

 with wire gau^e, the mesh of which must not be more than 2 mm. 

 This permits all the parasites excepting the two Tachinids, L. aurea 

 and A. pomonellae to escape. In order to catch the larvae of the first 



