66 



Fig 69. Cocoon or weevil borer. 



Natural size. (Imperial Dept. Agric.) 



Natural Enemies. No parasites of the weevil borer 

 seem to be recorded in the West Indies. It is likely that 

 birds, toads, and lizards capture and devour considerable 

 numbers of the weevil. If infected stumps could be dug 

 out and broken up, the weevil grubs would fall a prey to 

 birds and ants. 



THE ROOT BORER (Diaprepes abbreviatus, L.). 

 Coleoptera. 



The root borer occurs generally throughout the West 

 Indies, but is known as a serious pest of cane only in 



certain parts of Barbados. This 

 insect (Fig. 70) is also known as 

 the lady-bird and has apparently 

 been a common insect in Barbados 

 for many years, but there seem to 

 be no records of its occurrence as 

 a pest until quite recently. 



The root borer lays its eggs on 

 the leaves of a variety of plants, 

 (Fig. 71) and the young larvae fall 

 to the ground and immediately 

 begin feeding on young roots. In 

 the cane fields, they seem to feed 

 on the root of the cane for a con- 

 siderable part of the larval period, 

 bu t later they tunnei into the underground stem portions 

 of the plant. Fig. 72 shows the tunnels made by these 

 grubs. The grubs do not seem to penetrate the canes 

 above the ground level They appear to be able to emigrate 



70. Root borer of 



sugar cane. 



A dult beetle. A bout natural 

 size. (Original.) 



