- 377 - 



Root crops. The root crop pests presented few points of inte- 

 rest. "Leather jacket," the grub of the crane fly (Tipula olearaced) 

 was the most frequently complained of. See Journal for 1908, 

 page 327, for an account of it. There were cases of damage by 

 root-maggots (Anthomyia), Mangold fily (A. Beiae or Pegomya Betae}; 

 Turnip gall-weevil (Ceuthorhynchus suldcollis) and millipedes. Man- 

 golds appeared to be the crop which suffered most. 



An unusual circumstance was an attack on a beet crop by the 

 garden chafer (Phyllopertha horticohi), frequent in gardens, but which 

 the A. had not previously met upon a farm crop. 



Other farm and garden crops. Most of the pests complained of 

 were Aphis of various species. 



The pea-thrips did less harm than in the preceding year. Usually 

 it does most mischief in particularly dry weather. See observations 

 given in the Zoologist's Report for 1908. In every case of attack 

 the eggs were found inside the stamen sheath of the flowers. As 

 before, "topping" the peas as soon as the disease was noticed had 

 a decidedly beneficial effect. In one case many Chalcid flies (Chal- 

 cididae] were observed, they were probably destroying the thrips 

 grubs. 



In the North of England in June some asparagus beds were 

 suffering from an apparently quite new pest, a "surface caterpillar " 

 identified as the larva of the Agrotis praecox whose natural food is 

 the dwarf willow. Various expedients were tried, but only the ad- 

 mittance of chickens to the asparagus beds was successful. Trap 

 lamps are, as a rule, not advisable for in some cases they are po- 

 sitively harmful, by capturing more useful insects than injurious 

 ones. In the present instance however their use seems applicable, 

 as these moths belong to a group strongly attracted by light. 



In September some hop cones were sent for examination with 

 the complaint that much damage was being done by the "strig 

 maggot," evidently the grub of a small fly of the same group as 

 the pear-midge (Cecidomydae]. The "strig" is the central stem 

 of the cone. These maggots have the power of "skipping" and 

 can thus distribute themselves over a fairly wide area. It seems 

 to be a wet season pest. 



The maggots leave the cones in September, falling to the ground 

 to bury themselves. As, so long as they are within the cone, they 

 are invulnerable, the one chance of destroying them is to treat 

 the soil in some way which shall kill the grubs. One correspon- 

 dent believed he had obtained much benefit by admitting sheep 



