IS INSECT PESTS 



get hold of criminals is to turn up their records, and the 

 more we know about a weevil, a moth or an aphis, the 

 more likely we are to be able to chase it down to the 

 point of absolute disposal. 



In the chapters which follow, I propose to deal with 

 the question of insect pests from the smallholder's point 

 of view and grouped as shown in the chapter headings. 

 The illustrations will give the reader a clear idea of the 

 appearance of the creatures which are troubUng him, and 

 in the descriptions the actual size is expressed in inches. 



I have retained the Latin names, because, as is 

 well known, the English ones vary in different parts of 

 the country, and sometimes even different insects are 

 included under one name. The scientific or " Latin " 

 name, on the other hand, is one by which each insect is 

 known throughout the world. 



Before proceeding to deal with the pests categorically, 

 it will perhaps be convenient to many readers to explain 

 that there are Nine Great Orders of insects, grouped in 

 various ways according to various authorities, under one 

 or other of which the different families we shall presently 

 meet with must come, and if we can recognize the order 

 to which our pest belongs, we are well on the road to 

 discovering its history. 



Beginning, then, with the lowest forms, we have 

 Myriapoda, or many-footed creatures, including Centi- 

 pedes, Millipedes, " Pill " insects, WoodUce and the Arma- 

 dillo. They pass through no elementary stages in their 

 growth, and by some are thought to be scarcely insects 

 at all, but joint-bodied animals, or articulata, first cousins 

 to the spider. (See Plate 1.) 



As a general rule they are not very harmful to the 

 gardener, as, excepting the milhpede, which gnaws at 

 roots, they feed upon decaying animal and vegetable 

 matter. Where their presence is objected to, such 

 matter should be rigorously collected and removed. 



Next come the Stjctoria, or Suckers, including Fleas 



