﻿148 
  W. 
  MANSFIELD-ADERS. 
  

  

  INSECTS 
  AFFECTING 
  COTTON. 
  

  

  A 
  few 
  experimental 
  plants 
  of 
  the 
  following 
  varieties 
  have 
  been 
  grown, 
  viz., 
  

   Egyptian 
  :— 
  Abassi, 
  Nubari, 
  Yannovitch, 
  Mit 
  AM, 
  Asili, 
  Sakellarides 
  ; 
  American 
  :— 
  

   Allen's 
  Long 
  Staple 
  and 
  Sunflower. 
  

  

  All 
  the 
  plants 
  were 
  heavily 
  infested 
  by 
  a 
  variety 
  of 
  insects 
  of 
  which 
  the 
  following 
  

   proved 
  the 
  most 
  injurious. 
  

  

  Lepidoptera. 
  

  

  Pectinophora 
  (Gelechia) 
  gossypiella, 
  Saunders. 
  This 
  has 
  proved 
  to 
  be 
  the 
  most 
  

   serious 
  pest, 
  as 
  every 
  variety 
  of 
  cotton 
  was 
  attacked. 
  All 
  stages 
  of 
  development 
  

   were 
  taken 
  throughout 
  the 
  year. 
  Other 
  food-plants 
  were 
  the 
  silk-cotton 
  tree 
  

   (Eriodendron 
  anfractuosum) 
  and 
  Ladies' 
  Fingers 
  (Hibiscus 
  esculentus), 
  the 
  latter 
  

   plant 
  being 
  always 
  heavily 
  infested. 
  

  

  Pyroderces 
  simplex, 
  Wlsm. 
  Some 
  adults 
  emerged 
  from 
  stored 
  seed. 
  

  

  Earias 
  insulana, 
  Boisd. 
  A 
  few 
  specimens 
  were 
  obtained 
  from 
  all 
  varieties 
  of 
  

   cotton. 
  A 
  very 
  common 
  pest 
  of 
  Hibiscus 
  esculentus. 
  

  

  Sylepta 
  derogata, 
  F. 
  This 
  leaf 
  -roller 
  occurred 
  abundantly 
  on 
  all 
  varieties 
  and 
  was 
  

   responsible 
  for 
  serious 
  damage. 
  

  

  Prodenia 
  litura, 
  F. 
  Remarkably 
  few 
  larvae 
  were 
  found. 
  Other 
  food-plants 
  

   are 
  Hibiscus 
  esculentus, 
  young 
  tobacco 
  plants, 
  castor 
  plants, 
  and 
  on 
  one 
  occasion 
  

   a 
  ripe 
  tomato 
  fruit. 
  

  

  Acrocercops 
  bifasciata, 
  Wlsm. 
  Cotton 
  plants 
  of 
  all 
  ages 
  were 
  attacked 
  by 
  this 
  

   leaf-miner. 
  The 
  attacked 
  leaves 
  have 
  a 
  very 
  characteristic 
  appearance, 
  the 
  whole 
  

   of 
  the 
  upper 
  epidermis 
  being 
  raised 
  to 
  form 
  one 
  large 
  blister. 
  

  

  Bucculatrix 
  loxoptila, 
  Meyr. 
  Larvae 
  were 
  taken 
  feeding 
  on 
  the 
  upper 
  epidermis 
  

   of 
  Abassi 
  cotton 
  ; 
  they 
  construct 
  a 
  tough 
  white 
  cocoon 
  shaped 
  like 
  an 
  upturned 
  

   boat 
  on 
  the 
  leaf. 
  

  

  Orgyia 
  vetusta, 
  Hmp. 
  » 
  One 
  small 
  swarm 
  of 
  larvae 
  appeared, 
  completely 
  defoliating 
  

   the 
  attacked 
  plants. 
  

  

  Euproctis 
  producta, 
  Wlk. 
  Larvae 
  occasionally 
  swarm 
  on 
  cotton 
  ; 
  they 
  are 
  

   omnivorous, 
  moving 
  from 
  one 
  food-plant 
  to 
  another, 
  castor 
  oil 
  plants 
  seeming 
  to 
  be 
  

   their 
  favorite 
  food. 
  

  

  Rhynchota. 
  

  

  Dysdercus 
  fasciatus, 
  F. 
  This 
  stainer 
  was 
  prevalent 
  during 
  the 
  boiling 
  season 
  

   and 
  caused 
  much 
  damage 
  to 
  the 
  lint 
  ; 
  all 
  varieties 
  of 
  cotton 
  were 
  attacked, 
  especially 
  

   Caravonica. 
  These 
  insects 
  were 
  observed 
  plunging 
  their 
  proboscis 
  into 
  young 
  

   oily 
  seeds 
  in 
  bolls 
  which 
  had 
  opened 
  prematurely. 
  They 
  were 
  also 
  seen 
  on 
  many 
  

   occasions 
  feeding 
  with 
  avidity 
  on 
  fresh 
  mammalian 
  carcases, 
  skins 
  and 
  skulls. 
  

  

  Dysdercus 
  super 
  stitiosus, 
  F. 
  This 
  has 
  been 
  taken 
  occasionally, 
  but 
  is 
  by 
  no 
  means 
  

   a 
  common 
  species. 
  

  

  Oxycarenus 
  albidipennis, 
  Stal. 
  All 
  instars 
  are 
  common 
  in 
  well 
  matured 
  open 
  

   bolls. 
  In 
  neglected 
  crops 
  they 
  occur 
  in 
  vast 
  numbers, 
  although 
  the 
  actual 
  damage 
  

   done 
  seems 
  to 
  be 
  negligible. 
  

  

  