89 



Cacao is attacked by aphis, mealy-bugs and scale 

 insects. These are not often serious pests. The aphis 

 sometimes is seen in considerable numbers on the 

 young tender leaves. Mealy-bugs often occur on the pods 

 where two pods are touching, or where a pod rests 

 against the bark of the stem. Aphis and mealy-bug 

 may be controlled, if necessary, by spraying with kero- 

 sene emulsion or whale-oil soap solution. Cacao is not 

 often attacked by scale insects, but this has happened in 

 a few instances. In a mild attack scale insects could be 

 controlled by spraying, but if a tree becomes thoroughly in- 

 fested, it may be better to cut the plant down and burn it 



The root borer of the sugar-cane has been reported as 

 attacking cacao in St. Lucia, especially where the crop is 

 growing on lands formerly devoted to sugar cultivation. 



In St. Lucia and St. Vincent, beetles have teen found 

 from time to time eating the leaves of young cacao, and 

 they have caused considerable damage. No satisfactory 

 remedy for the root borer and the leaf-eating beetle 

 attacking cacao has been discovered. One of these 

 insects is shown in Fig. 98. 



Fig. 99. Corn ear worm. 



(a) Moth, grey form-, (I) fore icing of the more ornamental form ; (c) larva; 



(d) aldominal segment^ of larva, lateral view ; (e) pupa lateral view ; 



(d) twice natural size. Others enlarged one-fourth. 



(From U.S.Dept. Agric.) 



