THE HARVEST BUG. 21 



surface fourteen minute suckers, by means of which it is capable of 

 attaching itself to other animals, and thus being carried away, and 

 setting up fresh areas of infection. 



PREVENTIVE AND REMEDIAL MEASURES. 



All imported bulbs should be fumigated with bisulphide of carbon 

 (see page 56). 



Once the bulbs have become infected remedial measures are of 

 little avail ; as the mites get between the leaf scales, and sometimes 

 into the interior of the bulbs, where they lay their eggs. It is really 

 the better plan to burn all infested bulbs, and to treat the soil with 

 bisulphide of carbon. 



Experiments were made on the bulbs by soaking and spraying 

 them with various fluids, such as paraffin and turpentine emulsions, 

 sulphide of potassium, etc., but none gave satisfactory results. No 

 doubt many of the mites were killed, but sufficient numbers remained 

 alive to complete the destruction of the bulb. 



THE HARVEST BUG. 



Leptus autuinnalis, Shaw. 



Writing from Bewdley in August last a correspondent states that 

 during the whole of August, and part of July and September, this 

 mite takes half the pleasure out of the country in neighbourhoods 

 where it occurs. 



The irritation set up on human beings when attacked by this tiny 

 acarine is very painful. Fortunately, however, the so-called Harvest 

 Bug is not a mature mite, but only a larval form, so that it does not 

 breed on human beings. In all probability it is the young of a mite 

 known as Trombidium holosericeum, as first- asserted by Megnin in 1876. 



This species is well-known, and although very plentiful on wild 

 and other grasses, it does not seem to do any damage to plant life. 

 In its larval stage, however, it attacks man and most domesticated 

 animals. 



THE PEA AND BEAN THRIPS. 

 Thrips pish'om, \Vestwood. 



A Warwickshire correspondent forwarded a number of developing 

 pods of the garden pea, covered with little yellow thrips which are 

 referred to this species. 



As I have treated of the life-history of this pest so recently as in 

 my Third Report, ' it is only necessary to repeat the preventive and 

 remedial measures. 



Wherever an attack of these insects has been experienced, the 

 haulm and old stocks should be burnt. Neither peas or beans should 

 be grown on or near the same ground the following year. 



(i) Rpt. on Inj. Insects, etc., for 1905, 1906, p. 12. 



