3(> Timehri 



minute hymenoptera, aud being led on by Ooccinellid beetles and their 

 larvae, by the larvae of lace- wing liies (Chrysopidae), and probably by the 

 larvae of a Cecidomyiid fly. None of these friends has as yet been 

 identified. 



The larvae of some of the Coccinellids are thickly covered with white 

 Huff so resembling that of the mealy-bug that it is often a little difficult 

 to detect them among a mass of their prey. 



The eggs of the mealy-bug lace-wing ny are yellow or yellow white, 

 borne each on a long slender glassy transparent stalk, by which they are 

 attached to the cane-blades in a group of over a score at times. When 

 first hatched the larvae are naked but have a few hairs. As soon, how- 

 ever, as they begin to roam about in search of food they commence form- 

 ing on their back a covering of various materials, such as a mealy-bug fluff, 

 and odd bits of stuff from surfaces over which they wander. Their body 

 hairs assist in supporting the covering. Their jaws are strung, curved, 

 and sharp, admirably suited for pieicing their victims, which they some- 

 times transfix and bear away. They pupate beneath their curious cover- 

 ings, affixing themselves to cane-blades, dry or green. In about two 

 weeks after pupation the adults emerge. They are handsome delicate 

 creatures, green, with long antenna? and four gauzy wings, and eyes with 

 a golden green iridescence. 



The larvae of a Cecidomyiid is abundant among masses of mealy-bug 

 on the eggs of which they seem to fee I. The adult fly is reddish, clothed 

 with dusky brown scales, and has the wings densely hairy. 



The most terrible pests of the cane are the small moth-borers Diatraea 

 Baccharalis and Diatrcea canella. These are responsible for more damage 

 and loss than all the other pests combined. It is therefore of the great- 

 est interest to find that they have several insect enemies, some of which 

 are of the highest importance. 



The most valuable of their enemies are two hymenopterous parasites 

 first discovered in the colony by Mr. J. J Quelch. At times they para- 

 sitize the moth -borer eggs to the extent of 75 \ and more. One of the 

 parasites is yellow, the other black, The former is the commoner of the 

 two, i>nd whereas the latter occurs singly in each egg of the moth-borer, 

 several of the former may be noticed in a single e^g. Egg-clusters para- 

 sitized by either goon become of a black colour, which is more complete 

 and opaque in case of the yellow one than in that of the black, because 

 with the latter the Diatroea egg-shells show as a more or less transparent 

 ring around the contained black parasites. Mr. Quelch mentions the 

 interesting and important fact that the parasites on emerging immediately 

 copulate. In his " Interim Report on Insect Pests/' April, 1911, he 

 says : — " It was curious to note during the emergence of these little forms 

 from the egg in which they had passed their whole development, the 

 method by which fertilisation occurs. The previously freed males kept 

 closely to the egg-cluster, taking note when any female began to break 



