INSECTS IN SHIPMENTS OF SUGAR CANE. 7 



THE GRAY MEALYBUG. 



{Pseudococcus cdlieolunn' Marik.) 



Another insect which has entered the United States from the 

 Tropics is the mealybug, or "pou-a-pouche," as it is of ien called in 

 Louisiana. We have here called it the gray mealybug to distinguish 

 it from the pink one which is considered under "Foreign Insects." 

 Mr. J. B. Garrett * made a study of the mealybug some years ago, and 

 we quote his statement concerning its history in Louisiana: 



Just how loHg the sugar-cane mealybug has been in Louisiana and from whence it 

 came is problematical. Information received from some of the oldest cane planters 

 in southern Louisiana indicates that the insect was imported on seed cane about 25 

 years ago and became established on some of the plantations near the mouth of the 

 Mississippi River. From this point it has worked its way north to the district around 

 New Orleans. Dr. Wm. C. Stubbs, formerly director of the Louisiana Experiment 

 Stations, states that the mealybug made its first appearance at the Sugar Experiment 

 Station at Audubon Park, New Orleans, in 1891. It did not become established at 

 the station from this introduction for the reason that all infested canes were taken up 

 and burned. Several years later a second introduction to the Sugar Experiment 

 Station plats occurred. Because of the great value of the varieties infested, it became 

 more practical to attempt control and exercise precautions in the distribution of seed 

 cane than to take the rigid measures of eradication. These measures would have 

 meant the destruction of the varieties in practically all of the station plats with the 

 reintroduction from outside almost a certainty. This would have been an irreparable 

 loss to the station and of no protection to the planter since the pest is well established 

 in the surrounding plantations. 



The mealybug may be recognized on the cane plant by the mealy 

 or floury secretion by which it is surrounded. The insect attaches 

 itself to the stalk of cane and sucks the juice. Its greatest injury is 

 in killing the buds of windrowed or other cane, causing a low percent- 

 age of germination the following year. It is limited to a certain 

 area in Louisiana, especially to plantations along the Mississippi 

 River. The writer found an infestation of the mealybug at the 

 experiment station at Brownsville, Tex., in October, 1912, and he 

 advised those in charge to take every means of eradicating the pest. 



THE SUGAR-CANE APHIDID. 



An aphidid or plant louse was foimd this year (1912) by the writer 

 at a number of j)laces in southern Louisiana and near HarUngen, 

 Tex. It appears to be a species new to science as weU as to most 

 sugar planters. Its importance is doubtful, as we have practically 

 no information about it. 



1 A Preliminary Report on The Sugar-Cane Mealy-Bug. By J. B. Garrett. Agricultural Experiment 

 Station of the Louisiana State University and A. and M. College. Baton Rouge, La., 1910. 



