24 MONTHLY NOTES ON GRUBS AND OTHER CANE PESTS. 
CANE CRUB INVESTIGATION, DECEMBER, 1918. 
Since weather conditions at our station continued too dry for any new 
developments, I improved the opportunity to visit Mossman, where heavy 
rains had fallen early in November. My main object, this trip, was to 
study the comparative emergence of cane beetles; and, incidentally, to 
note the various feeding-trees. 
Conditions at Mossman are excellent just now. There is abundant 
feed for stock, the cane is of fine colour, and cultivation is going on every- 
where. The soil is just moist enough for ploughing, and the farmers 
who have land for early planting are beginning the preparations. Their 
practice cannot be too highly recommended, for horse work at this season 
is what counts against the beetles. 
EMERGENCE OF CANE BEETLES AT MOSSMAN. 
The rains coming in abundance, as they did in this district, brought 
out, practically, the full crop of beetles, so that they are not stringing 
along over several months as they did in the Cairns district last season. 
As indicated in my previous report on this district, I did not expect a 
very large emergence, for there had been no serious damage in recent 
years. Hence I got a surprise when I walked out to the river, on the 
evening of my arrival, and found the two large figtrees near the bridge 
literally swarming with grey-backs and the foliage mostly riddled. 
Careful search during the remainder of my week’s stay failed to locate 
any other similar congregation of the pest. A few cane beetles could be 
found almost anywhere, on the feeding-trees, but not in serious numbers. 
Even at Mango Park, where the beetles did so much damage in 
former years, they were scarcely in evidence. I could only locate a very 
few on some of their principal feeding-trees, and Mr. Hearn, the new 
manager, informed me that there were no beetles flying at night. The 
cane on this estate looks fine in spite of the setback caused by the long, 
dry spell, and there is every prospect for a successful crop. 
Along the river, at the farm of Crees Brothers, I found a few grey- 
back beetles on mandarin trees, and Victor Crees, who is managing the 
farm, told me that the beetles swarmed at night on a large rubber tree 
by the house, but I was not able to locate any upon it. 
Examining the low bushes along the roadside, just at dusk, I found 
a few of both Lepidiota frenchi and L. caudata, with considerable 
numbers of very small cane beetles belonging to three species. All of 
these go back into the soil after feeding, so that they are never seen 
during the day feeding, or on their feeding-plants. 
In the field alongside this road, belonging to Mr. Mullarvey, we 
found full-grown frenchi grubs; and though they appeared to favour the 
bunches of Guinea grass along the headlands, they were undoubtedly 
doing some damage to the cane, for it was yellowing in places. These 
grubs will continue to work until next May, when they go into resting 
cells, to emerge this time next year. 
