A FUNGUS CATCHES WORMS 



A certain scale insect was doing an immense amount of 

 harm in the orange plantations of Fiji, but it was destroyed 

 by the introduction of lady-birds, and of a certain parasitic 

 fly. It is said that these insects destroyed the " scale " in six 

 months ! 



Experiments have also been tried with fungi. There are 

 certain fungi which attack the bodies of living insects. So 

 far, however, it cannot be said that the results have been at 

 all satisfactory, for the propagation and infection of the 

 living insects by fungus spores is not at all easy. There is 

 also a certain feeling of doubt as to what may happen. 

 Those fungi, and particularly bacteria, might set up danger- 

 ous epidemics. 



Decaying meal contains hundreds of certain very curious 

 worms called Nematodes. They are short, about one- 

 twenty-fifth of an inch in length, and are smooth and 

 very like minute eels. These creatures are very active, 

 wriggling or swaying to and fro in a characteristic manner. 

 Now in decaying meal there is a peculiar fungus. Like 

 most fungi, it consists of very minute transparent threads 

 which contain living matter or protoplasm. This par- 

 ticular fungus has branches, but also forms curious loops 

 or belts. When one of these eel- worms is swaying about in 

 the meal, it may quite well happen that its tail slips into one 

 of these loops. If that happens, the fate of the worm is 

 sealed, for the loop is elastic, and the more it wriggles the 

 farther it slips in and the stronger it is held. The fungus 

 then begins to grow, and forms a tube which grows into the 

 worm and kills it. All the material in the worm's body goes 

 to nourish the fungus. This extraordinary fungus has been 

 described and figured by Professor Zopf, but seems to be a 

 very unusual and rare form. 



T 289 



