COCONUT PLANTER'S MANUAL. 47 



Food Plants. 



The Red Weevil probably attacks almost any kind of palm which 

 is iu a sufficiently attractive condition, but it apparently prefers the 

 coconut palm. It has been found attacking the palmyra {Borassua 

 llabellifer), the date palm (P/uenix dactyUfera), the cabbage palm 

 (jOreodoxa oleracea), and L'wistona palms. It probably also attacks 

 the kitul or toddy palm I Caryota ureris), theareca palm (Areca catechu), 

 and the talipot (Corypha umbracidifera). It may be mentioned that 

 the Black Beetle breeds in most of the above palms when they are in 

 a dead or decaying condition. 



Natural Enemies. 



No natural enemies of the Red Weevil have been found so far in 

 Ceylon. 



J. C. HUTSON, 

 Government Entomologist. 

 Peradeniya, August 15, 1922. 



THE COCONUT CATERPILLAR. 



(Nephantis serinopa.) 



The Coconut Caterpillar has been established for many years as a 



pest of coconuts on both the eastern and western sides of the island, 



but of late it has also appeared inland, though not to the same extent 



as in the coastal areas. 



The damage is done to the fronds or leaves by the caterpillars, 

 which eat away the underside of the leaflets, so that they turn grey 

 and die. If the pest is allowed to spread, it sometimes happens that 

 every single palm on an estate may become infested with the cater- 

 pillars, and all the fronds, except the youngest at the top of the palms, 

 are killed. The nuts may be attacked and the vitality of the infested 

 palm is lowered, so that there is a marked reduction in the crop during 

 the next two years after a serious outbreak. 



This caterpillar has recently been declared a pest under the Plant 

 Pests and Diseases Ordinance, and measures should be taken to control 

 it. A short account of the pest is given here, so that coconut grower s 

 may take notice of the caterpillar and the damage which it causes, 

 and may know what measures must be adopted to control this pest. 



