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Black Borer Beetle which is attacking Banana Trees. — Daily Gleaner, 

 Kingston, Jamaica, 22nd April 1916, p. 6. 



An investigation is being made as to the areas in Jamaica in which 

 Cosmopolites sordidus occurs, so that these districts may be declared 

 infested and an order issued making this insect a notifiable one. It is 

 proposed to introduce from Fiji the Histerid beetle, Plaesius javanus, 

 Er., which is predaceous on this weevil. 



Dash (J. S). Report of the Assistant Superintendent of Agriculture 

 on the Entomological and Mycological Work carried out during 

 the Season under Review. — Rept. Dept. Agric, Barbados, 1914-15, 

 Barbados, 1916, pp. 38-44. [Received 4th May 1916.] 



The inspection of imported seeds and plants was continued during 

 the year. A species of scale-insect not previously recorded in Barbados 

 was found on mango brought from St. Lucia, Cotton seed intended 

 for the extraction of oil was fumigated with sulphur dioxide, while 

 seed used for planting was treated with carbon bisulphide. 



The insect pests noted during the year were :■ — Sugar-cane. 

 Diaprepes abbreviatus, L. (root borer) caused much damage in low- 

 lying districts. Fields in which crop rotation had not been practised 

 showed signs of the borer in April, while in fields which had not been 

 planted with cane for consecutive years, the injury was almost neghgible. 

 In one case the larvae were found attacking yams. In the experimental 

 plots the insect was found on all the black soil estates, and it was 

 observed that the emergence of the beetles in April and June followed 

 periods of rainfall. Phytalus smithi (brown hardback) showed a greater 

 degree of parasitism by Tiphia parallela than in the preceding year. 

 A consignment of Tiphia cocoons was sent to Mauritius and the work 

 of transferring the parasites to St. Michael to control P. smithi was 

 continued whenever material was available. Delphax saccharivora 

 (cane-fly) was found for the first time to be parasitised by the Mymarid, 

 Anagrus flavescens, Waterh. Diatraea saccharalis (moth borer) was 

 present in some estates. It is probable that the collection of egg- 

 masses, together with provision of facilities for the escape of the para- 

 sites from these, would considerably reduce the numbers of the moth. 

 Pseudococcus calceolariae (pink mealy bug) was f oimd on old canes ; on 

 one estate this scale was kept in check by a fmigus, Aspergillus sp. 

 Exophthalmns esuriens, Gyl., showed no signs of spreading, and could 

 not be regarded as injurious. Leucotermes tenuis and Caloterynes sp. 

 were recorded during the year. 



Cotton. Cotton pests were not very abundant ; Alabama argillacea 

 appeared in many fields, but was easily controlled and Eriophyes 

 gossypii (leaf blister mite) did not cause serious damage. 



Maize. The most important pests were Laphygma frugiperda and 

 Pyroderces stigmatophora. 



Sweet potatoes. Euscepes batatae was the most serious pest ; 

 thrips and flea -beetles were recorded on one estate during December. 



Fruit trees. Trees in a neglected citrus orchard were affected by the 

 following scales : — Lepidosaphes beckii, Chionaspis citri, Chrysomphalus 

 aurantii and Coccus viridis. The last-named species was parasitised 

 by the fungus, Cephalosporium lecanii. Bark -borers, probably 

 Leptostylus praemorsus, caused injury to grape-fruit in one district. 



