850 Pomona College Journal of Entomology 



SOME INSECT PESTS OF THE CALIFORNIA LIVE OAK 



R. W. DOANE 



Journal Economic Entomology, August, 1912 



The following were mentioned : The oak tree moth, the tussock moth, at 

 least three species of leaf miners, carpenter worm, oak tree Cerococcus. 



W. A. Hilton. 



THE YELLOW CURRANT FLY OR GOOSEBERRY FRUIT FLY 

 [EPOCEBA CANADENSIS LOEW.) 



J. H. PAINE 



Psyche, October, 1912. 



Observations were taken in the vicinity of Stanford University. 



The adult females go about the fruit at the time of laying with a constant 

 fluttering of the wings. As a rule the fly prefers a berry that has not been 

 stung before, but most of the fruit under observation had been stung twice 

 or oftener. After puncturing the skin the hole formed remains small, but 

 later the area about the egg turns brown and makes a very conspicuous spot. 

 In the vicinity of Stanford, egg laying is continued through April to the 

 middle of May. When the presence of the larva? causes the berry to ripen 

 and drop prematurely, it turns red with lilack blotches. The larv.T penetrate 

 the ground to a depth of an inch or so and change to pupa?. There appears 

 to be but one brood, the insects remaining inactive in the ground for ten 

 months. 



Several remedies have been suggested: 



1. Frequent burning of fallen currants. 



2. Removal of top soil underneath the hushes to a depth of two or three 

 inches. 



3. A nndch of coarse straw or hay well packed about the bushes to 

 prevent the flies from emerging. 



4. Allowing .young chickens to run under the bushes at the time of the 

 ripening of the fruit. 



5. Pick and destroy the entire crop while green. 



fi. A method tried with success by the author was to cover the entire 

 bush with mos(|uito netting to keep the flies away from the fruit. 



W. II. 



WHITE ANTS IN NATAL 



In the October numlx'r of the South African Agricultural Journal, Jlr. 

 Claude Fuller, the Government entomologist in Natal, gives a detailed account 

 of the white ants in that province. The most common as well as the most 

 harmful species is the Trnnrs iiatalciisis, wliich has been taken destroying live 



