PESTS. 



155 



Minor Pests of Mustard, Rape, etc 



Cruciferous plants also suffer from the attacks of other insects 

 which are not specific pests but come casually. More than one species 

 of caterpillar can be reared from mustard, 

 cabbage, rape, etc., and the cabbage crop in 

 particular suffers from the presence of green 

 semi-looper caterpillars l which eat holes in 

 the leaves. The mustard aphis is also a 

 serious pest, attacking mustard, rape, sarson, 

 etc., when grown as a rabi crop. This aphis 

 appears first on the young plant, increases 

 with enormous rapidity, and clusters on the 

 pods and stems. A weak crop becomes ex- 

 hausted and unable to bear seeds (page 239). 

 The painted bug (page 233) is a very minor 



FIG. 174 

 Cabbage Moth. 



pest of these crops, in peculiarly favourable seasons becoming very abun- 

 dant on late sown mustard. 



FIG. 175. 



The Rape Aphis. 



a, Wingless female, b, Nymph, c, Winged female, (Magnified twelve times.) 



a 100. Plusia signata. F. (Noctuidte.) 



