140 DESTRUCTIVE INSECTS OF VICTORIA: 



often coming into the houses and covering the walls, 

 ceiling, &c., and not infrequently extinguishing our 

 candles or other lights, is by no means an uncommon one. 

 These, then, are the winged forms of the White Ant, and 

 this swarming, which is familiarly known as pairing, takes 

 place with the same insect but once, as the insects cast 

 their wings, and those which escape from the attacks of 

 birds, &c., usually descend into the ground, being then, of 

 course, in a wingless state. 



The White Ant is known to be one of the most 

 troublesome of insects, destroying, as it does, timbers, 

 furniture, books, cloth, boxes, boots, and many other 

 articles too numerous to mention here ; but it is only of 

 late years, so far as I am aware, that we in Victoria can 

 add to its enormities that of the destruction of vines, 

 apples, and other fruit trees. 



A few years ago Mr. Knight, our fruit expert, brought 

 for my inspection some pieces of orange trees, root 

 portion (see Fig. 1), also some vines (see Fig. 2), the 

 plants of which had been destroyed by these little pests. 

 This was my first experience of White Ants attacking 

 and destroying fruit trees and vines. 



The method of working of the White Ant is always 

 most insidious, as there is seldom any outward indication 

 to be perceived of the destruction that is taking place 

 within the object attacked. 



Take, for example, a fruit tree attacked by White Ants, 

 and the tree will appear to be growing fairly well, when 

 gradually the bark changes colour and assumes a 

 yellowish and sickly appearance, and I am informed by a 

 friend who has made many practical observations, living 

 as he does, in a dry district much infested by these pests, 

 that plants raised from seeds are less liable to attack than 

 those which have been either grafted or budded. 



I am, at present, not prepared to express an opinion 

 upon this somewhat remarkable statement, although 

 some of our growers doubtless have had experience 

 in this matter, and for any further information bearing 



