393 



oviposition. The formula given is : — Sugar, 2| lb. or 25 lb. ; arsenate 

 of lead paste, 3 oz. or 2 lb. ; water 4 gals, or 40 gals. The lesser 

 quantities are for a paraffin tin, the larger for a barrel. The arsenate 

 should be thoroughly mixed with a small quantity of water and then 

 stirred into the bulk. The sugar may be poured into the full amount 

 of water and stirred until dissolved. Rainwater should be used. 

 Made in this way, the bait does not attract bees to an appreciable 

 extent, but house-flies and a number of other species are poisoned by it. 

 An ordinary garden s}T.inge is the best means of distributing this bait. 



GuNN (D.). The Pepper Tree Caterpillar, Bomhycomor'pha 'pallida, Dist. 

 — Union of S. Africa. Dept. Agric, Pretoria, Div. Entom. Bull, 

 no. 5, 1916, 10 pp., 10 figs. [Received 19th July 1916.] 



During recent summers, a large number of pepper trees have been 

 defoliated in Pretoria and the neighbourhood by the Lasiocampid, 

 Bombycomorpha pallida, Dist. Owing to the proximity of these shade- 

 trees to houses and the wandering habits of the mature larvae, this insect 

 is often a household nuisance. A description of the various stages is 

 given. In Pretoria the cocoons of the first brood are found in December, 

 the moths appearing at the end of January ; those of the second occur 

 between April and June, the adults appearing about mid-October. 

 The large green Mantid, Sphodromantis gastrica, Stal, was observed 

 to devour the larvae. Some of these Mantids, which had destroyed all 

 the larvae on the pepper trees under observation, w^ere removed to 

 another infested tree two miles away and within ten days every larva 

 was destroyed. The Pentatomid bug, Glypsus conspicuus, Westw., is 

 another important predaceous enemy. The Tachinid, Argyrophylax 

 bimacidata , Hart., is a parasite of this species, and of several hundred 

 cocoons examined, about 30 per cent, first generation and 40 per cent, 

 second generation larvae were found to be attacked. To control the 

 larvae, infested branches may be cut off and the insects either crushed 

 or placed in hot water or in paraffin and water. A spray containing 

 3 lb. of lead arsenate to 50 gals, of water will effectively kill the larvae 

 if apphed to the foliage. If powdered arsenate of lead is used, 1| lb. to 

 50 gals, water is sufficient. When a heavy infestation occurs and a 

 large number of trees have to be sprayed, Paris green will be found 

 cheaper ; the best formula tried contained 10 oz. of Paris green in 

 50 gals, of water, to which 1 lb. of unslaked lime is added. Before 

 spraying, the mixture should be thoroughly stirred and kept agitated 

 at frequent intervals during operations. Thousands of larvae have 

 been caught by bands of cheap canvas or other material being placed 

 round the trunks of pepper and neighbouring trees. The bands should 

 be at least a foot in width and should be attached 2 or 3 feet from the 

 ground. The larvae should be removed from underneath the bands 

 two or three times a week [see also this Revieiv, Ser. A, i, p. 12, and 

 ii, p. 653]. 



GuNN (D.). The Potato Ladybird Beetle, Epilachna dregei. — Union of 

 " 'S. Africa. Dept. Agric, Pretoria, Div. Entom. Bull. no. 6, 1916, 

 7 pp., 6 figs. [Received 19th July 1916.] 



The potato is the favourite food-plant of Ejnlachna dregei, which 

 appears to be increasing in importance as a pest. The various stages 



