FIRE BLIGHT OF THE WATTLE. 37 



CHAPTER CX. 



FIRE BLIGHT OF THE WATTLE. 



(Paropsis orphana, Erichson.) 



Order : Coleoptera. Family : Chrysomelidce. 



This is a small beetle belonging to the large group of 

 leaf feeders. It is light-green in colour, with white stripes 

 or markings. The eggs, which are somewhat spindle- 

 shaped, are laid in clusters on the foliage and tender twigs 

 of the plant. When hatched, the young larvae spread out 

 and crawl over the whole foliage, and, being in vast num- 

 bers, soon commence the work of destruction by eating 

 into the epidermis of the leaves. The latter at once turn 

 a reddish-brown in colour, and when seen from a distance 

 the plantation appears as if a fire had gone through it, 

 hence the common name " Fire Blight." The larvae are 

 stout, and of a dirty green colour, with two pale parallel 

 lines running down the dorsal surface from behind the 

 head to the tip of the abdomen ; and, as they assimilate, 

 both in colour and shape, to the twigs and foliage among 

 which they are feeding, they may easily escape notice 

 by the casual observer. 



Of all the insect enemies of the wattle industry, this 

 beetle is by far the worst ; and, as the insects are in such 

 enormous numbers, it is almost impossible to deal success- 

 fully with them. I made the first investigation of the life 

 history and habits of this terrible pest. We know 

 that it has a wide geographical range in our State, and is 

 also found in New South Wales and Tasmania. In Vic- 

 toria, my experience has been that the only plants attacked 

 to any extent are the common Black Wattle (Acacia 

 decurrens) and the Silver Wattle (A. dealbata). Although 

 I have repeatedly looked for it, I have never yet seen 



