TERMES GESTROI AS A PEST OF THE PARA RUBBER 



TREE. 



By H. C. PRATT. 

 Government Entomologist, Federated Malay States. 



THE plantation rubber industry which developed with 

 phenomenal rapidity in the Malay Peninsula has not been 

 threatened with any serious insect pests. Before any 

 considerable acreage had been planted it was generally 

 considered that Termes gestroi would prove a menace 

 to the industry, and it was decided to offer the sum of 

 5,000 for an adequate remedy against its attacks upon 

 the Para rubber tree. This reward induced competitors 

 to forward for testing purposes a large number of so- 

 called remedies. 



There is no doubt that at that time there was a good 

 deal of justification for the alarm caused by this insect. 

 Many plantations, especially those on the low-lying 

 lands, were losing a very considerable number of trees 

 apparently through the attacks of T. gestroi. The 

 ordinary " Sumatras "* which from time to time pass 

 over this country blew down a large number of trees 

 which lay directly in their tracks. One estate lost on 

 one occasion approximately 2,000 trees of 4 and 6 years 

 of age in the course of fifteen minutes, the majority of 

 which were found to have been hollowed by T. gestroi. 

 Factors such as these led to the offering of a reward for 

 a practical remedy, and they were also responsible for 

 the nervous apprehension of the future of the industry 

 which was prevalent at the time among most planters. 



In view of this a short account of the causes which 

 led to the increase of the insect and its attack upon the 

 Para rubber tree will be interesting. 



It was apparent at the time that on lalang 2 land, or 



1 A strong wind, often very local, and of short duration. 



2 A tall grass, which grows very thickly. 



