Notes on Insects Damaging Sugar Cane in Queensland. 17 



(10) MONOCREPIDIUS, ^p. (Family ELATERIDAE). 



The so-called " wirewonn " of our canefields is the larval stage of 

 an elaterid beetle familiarly Taiown by the name of " Skip Jack," owing 

 to its amusing habit of suddenly jumping into the air with a sharp click 

 when laid on its back on a tlat surface. Elateridte are susceptible to the 

 influence of artificial light, frequently flying into houses on warm even- 

 ings and crawling on tables, &c. In 1910 this ])est inflicted serious 

 damage to young cane recently planted on alluvial Hats at Mackay; 

 and in the same year occurred very freely in the Central Isis district, 

 where it was reported to be causing more damage than any other insect. 



The following brief extract from a letter received from ^Ir. H. R. 

 Hart, of ]\Iackay, in September, 1915, will serve to illustrate the nature 

 of injuries due to " wireworm ": — " The worm attacks the eyes of the 

 ' sets ' immediately after planting, apparently feeding on the soft content 

 of the eye, and then passing on to the next ' set,' continuing sometimes 

 from end to end of the field. I have known several cases where fields 

 of cane have had to be ploughed out and replanted from this cause; and 

 in my own experience I once planted a small field of about 2 acres three 

 times with the same result." 



Apparently the ravages of this pest are of very local occurrence. 



(11) TERMES MERIDIONALIS. Family TERMITIDAE). 

 Plate I., Fig. 11 e-f., p. 6. 



Two species of " White ants " are known to destroy sugar-cane 

 " sets " at Gordonvale, occurring as a rule in new ground planted for 

 the first time, but doing little or no damage to crops growing in soil that 

 has been well worked. 



Both species are found plentifully in Northern Queensland, but 

 T. meridionalis is the principal offender at Gordonvale. The other 

 termite, Eut(r))ies; fumigatm^, is smaller and of very minor importance. 



Section C. — Insects Eating the Foliage. 



(12) " Yellow-winged Locaist " (Locusta danica, Limi.). 



(13) " Large Mottled Locaist " {Locusta australis, Briumer). 



(14) " Long-nosed Locust " {Atractomorpha crenaticeps, Blanch. 



(15) " Short-honied Locust " {Oxya velox. Fab.). 



(16) " Short-horned Locust " {Cyrtacanthracis ? prozima. Walk. 



(17) " Short-homed Locust " {Cyrtacanthracis plagiata). 



(18) " Short-horned Locust " {Cyrtacanthracis cjuttulosa). 



(19) "Army Worm " {Cirphis unipuncta. Haw.). 



(20) " Skipper Butterfly " {Paruara mathias. Fab.). 



(21) " Skipper Butterfly " {Telicota aucjias-kreffti, Macl.). 



(22) " Ski^jper Butterfly " {Padraona mamas, Feld.). 



(23) '■ Grass Worm " {Chusaris rhodias. Turner). 



(24) " Web Worm " {Harmologa miserana. Walker). 



(25) " BrowTi-tail Moth " {Euproctis holoxutha. Turner). 



