SUMMARY. 153 



In Louisiana Tomaspis hicini-ta has been reported on cane without 

 doing any serious damage (]). 49). 



In the New York district grass is occasionally damaged by two 

 species of Pliilaenus. (p. 49). 



Roses and some pasture grasses in England and Jak and Cotton in 

 India have also suffered from other species of froghoppers. (p. 49). 



The text is given of the legislation in force in Barbados and St. 

 Lucia to prevent the introdnction of the froghopper. (p. 50). 



THE FROGHOPPER. 



The scientific name of the insect is Tomaspis saccharina. The name 

 Tomaspis varia has been used in the past but there are reasons for not 

 retaining it in use. (p. 53). 



The species is only known from Trinidad, Grenada and possibly 

 St. Vincent. It is almost certainly native to Trinidad and not an 

 introduced insect, (p. 53). 



The adult insect is about one-third of an inch in length, dark brown, 

 with two transverse yellowish -brown bands on the wings. There is a 

 light variety which has in addition the basal portions of the wings light 

 in colour, (p. 54). 



In the field the two sexes appear to be in almost equal proportions, 

 (p. 55). 



A short account of the anatomy of the insect is given, based chiefly 

 on the work of Kershaw, (p. 56). 



During the heat of the day the insects remain hidden at the base of 

 the upper leaves of the canes. In the late afternoon and evening 

 (earlier on cloudy days and later on bright days) they come up on to tlie 

 leaves and start feeding. The males begin to fly at about dusk. Light 

 traps examined every hour indicate that the greatest activity is from 

 dusk to 10 p.m. In the early morning they gradually return to their 

 hiding places in the axils of the leaves, (p. 56). 



From 40-100 eggs are laid by each female, either in the dead partly 

 decaying leaf sheaths near the ground or in the soil itself, (p. 58). 



The egg is about one-thirtieth of an inch long, pale yellow in colour 

 and pointed at each end. As it develops a black longitudinal streak 

 appears at the head end. The egg stage lasts from two weeks to over 

 six months according to the conditions of moisture. Many eggs from 

 the second and third brood, however, do not appear to hatch until after 

 the following dry season, (p. 58). 



There are four nymph stages during which the insect increases in 

 size and the wings are developed, (p. 59). 



The nymphs suck the sap from the roots of the cane at and below 

 the surface of the ground (PL III). They protect themselves with a 

 white froth, which consists of the excretion of the alimentary canal in 

 which air bubbles are formed by an arrangement of the breathing 

 system. This froth is of considerable protection to the nymph from 

 extremes of drought and moisture and also from various predaceous ants 

 and other insects which are often abundant in the cane fields, (p. 60). 



The froghopper feeds on sugar-cane, on almost all species of grass 

 (Gramineae) and on some grass-like plants of the related order 

 Cyperaceae. It has been reported damaging hill-rice, corn and pastures, 

 but has never done any serious injury to them in Trinidad, (p. 61). 



The nymph stages occu]\y five to seven weeks and the adult may live 

 as long as a month. The complete cycle under normal wet season 

 conditions takes slightly under two months, (p. 62). 



