421 



feet square and one foot deep, covered with six inches of soil which 

 was beaten firm ; in each pit was placed 2 oz. of carbon bisulphide. 

 Subsequent examination showed that all insects and their larvae had 

 been killed in the pits. Banana plants in the gardens and adjoining 

 lands were dug out, chopped up and buried in deep trenches. In the 

 infested area the weevils and their larvae were found only in old 

 decaying stumps and stems. 



:./iJa (yit.-J-r 'ii.:'i:i A\ri:/^ (•'-■^V' ■ '■''■''>•->•< . ■-' ' vij ((,' :i->'t>il51 



i^iTCHre (l?il!):^^R6pMt i'!* Entomologist for Year 1915-1916.— ^wn. 



Rejit. Jamaica Dept. Agric. for the Year ended 31st March 1916, 

 Kingston 1916,^^. 31-34. \^,. ..( 



The 'black fly of citrus, Aleurocanthus woghimi, Qiiaint., has con- 

 tinued to spread and during the past year has been reported from two 

 of the largest citrus groves in the island. This Aleurodid appears. 

 Capable of doing greater damage than Aleurodes (Dialeurodes) citri, 

 R. & H., and A. (D.) citrifolii, Morg., combined, as, unlike these white- 

 flies of Florida, it breeds during the entire year. The Florida citrus 

 spray of Diamond paraffin oil and whale oil soap is effective against it, 

 two sprayings at a short interval being advisable at first. Lepidosaphes 

 heckii, Newm. (purple scale) finds the shade and protection it prefers 

 on trees infested hj A. iooglumi and their combined effect is most 

 harmful. Chionaspis citri, Comst. (white scale) is general, and untended 

 trees are in some locaHties being killed out by the abundance of this 

 insect. Chrysomphalus aonidum, L. (ficvs, Ashm.), Parlatoria zizyphus^ 

 Lucas, Fiormia fioriniae, Targ., Parlatoria pergandei, Comst., Pseud- 

 aonidia articulatus, Morg.j have also been present on the material 

 examined. Eriophyes oleivorus, Ashm. (rust mite) was not a serious, 

 pest during the past season. A species of Pachnaeus, probably P. dis- 

 tans, Lachnojyus aurifer, Prepodes (Dia'prepes) vittatus and Diaprepes sp. 

 have also been taken injuring the leaves of citrus. The services of a. 

 black ant [Cremastogaster brevispinosa, Mayr, var.] have been enlisted 

 against A. woglumi, so far with success. This ant occurs naturally on 

 logwood, building its nests in the forks of branches, and the nests have 

 been transferred one to each citrus tree. Numerous cacao trees with root 

 systems impaired by root-infesting grubs were blown completely over by 

 the hurricane of last autumn. While much has been WT:itten concerning 

 the injury done by Prepodes vittatus {" Fiddler "), the author's investi- 

 gations tend to show that a species of Lachnosterna is most concerned. 

 At the present time grubbing of the roots is the control resorted to, 

 the cost being about one penny per tree per year. Heliothrips [Seleno- 

 thrips) rubrocinctits, Giard (red-banded thrips) seriously attacked and 

 defoliated cacao, especially in dry localities or during dry weather. 

 The Florida citrus spray (at strength of 1 in 50) or Black Leaf 40 (at 

 strength of 1 in 2,000 with 3 lb. of soap added to each 100 gals, of spray) 

 appear to be the most satisfactory remedies. Two sprayings at short 

 intervals are necessary. Injury to the epidermis of cacao pods by the 

 minings of what is probably an Agromyzid have been noticed recently. 

 H. rubrocinctus also extensively injured mango leaves and 

 fruit. The leaves of the growing tips blacken, curl and drop off, while 

 in extreme cases there is total defoHation. Attack arrests growth 

 and the fruit is generally small and inedible. The punctured areas 

 subsequently form the point of attack of various fungi. Anastrepha- 



