AND PROBLEMS OF SOUTHERN NIGERIA. 217 



treating young grown trees a sprayer of good power is necessary. In the case 

 of trees of the height of those grown in the communal plantations in the Central 

 Province, spraying will be difficult, or even impossible. But it is conceivable 

 that such high trees may not be attacked. 



Nephele aequivalens, Walk. 



The caterpillars, which were brown and 3 inches long, resembled twigs. They 

 were found eating leaves of Fiintumia at Ibadan only once, 27th October 1912. 

 They do not therefore seem to be of much economic importance. 



Thermopteryx elasticella, Hmp. 



A poor specimen of a moth, reared from a Fiintumia pod and found in the 

 collection on assuming duty, seems to be of this species. 



Physothrips funtumiae, Bagn. 



These have been identified by Mr. R. S. Bagnall, of the University of Oxford. 

 They are found in the flowers of Fiintumia. 



INSECTS AFFECTING PARA RUBBER. 



At Agege, on 2nd July 1912, a huge Prionid larva, about 5 inches long, was 

 found by the Mycologist. It was boring up a Para root which was seriously 

 affected by fungus. 



At Ugboha, C.P., in May 1912, a number of trees about 5 years old were 

 found to be severely affected by borers. The insect, whether larva or adult, 

 causing the trouble was not found and no information could be obtained. The 

 holes were about § inch in diameter. 



INSECTS AFFECTING MAHOGANY. 



At Calabar, mahogany trees (Khaya senegalensis) have suffered severely from 

 the attacks of wood-boring lepidopterous larvae, about 100 trees in the avenue 

 along the Old Calabar Road having been injured almost beyond recovery. These 

 larvae (probably Cossidae) are of a dirty red colour and bore holes into the 

 trunk and branches, causing the bark to strip off" in circles and patches about 

 4 inches across (Plate XXVIII, fig. 1). The moth has not yet been reared. 



Another lepidopterous larva was observed at Olokemeji to attack young trees 

 at the tip of the leading shoots, boring through the cambium into the pith and 

 proceeding downwards and out again. A large proportion of young trees just 

 planted out were affected. The larva is grey and white, and attains a length 

 of j inch. 



At Olokemeji, in January 1912, some of the young mahogany trees in the 

 nursery were cut down by a nocturnal cricket, possibly Brachytrypes. Two 

 species of bark-frequenting bugs of the family Pentatomidae, Atclocera 

 raptoria, Germ, and A. stictica, Westw., were also found on these trees, but their 

 significance is not known.* 



* [It is quite possible that these insects are beneficial ; in Rhodesia the writer has seen a 

 number of A. sticticQ feeding on a large Lasiocampid caterpillar (Gonometa robusta, Auriv.). — 



Ed.] 



82306 E 2 



