INSECTS INJURIOUS TO AGRICULTURE IN JAPAN 27 



The San Jose scale, Aspidiotus perniciosus (55, 63), was presum- 

 ably introduced into Japan from the United States some 50 years 

 ago, and has now become thoroughly distributed over all of the main 

 islands. It was not recognized until 1897, following which an ex- 

 tended search revealed its presence in many localities. It develops 

 most extensively at elevations below 400 feet, and is rare at higher 

 elevations. In Japan it readily attacks citrus as well as deciduous 

 trees, though this is not the case in California. The writer has ob- 

 served several heavy infestations in Honshu upon Poncirus trifoliata. 



Among the other scale insects of some importance attacking apple 

 and pear in Japan may be mentioned Lepidosaphes ulmi (73, H7), 

 L. ccmchiformis (69), and Paxrlatoria theae (68). Very extensive 

 damage is done to apple in Hokkaido by the first-named species. It 

 was introduced into the country upon stock from Germany in 1871, 

 and from California the following year. Various methods of con- 

 trol have been tried experimentally, but the orchardists still prefer 

 painting with fish oil-lye emulsion, and spraying with lime-sulphur 

 and other contact insecticides. L. concliiformis is gradually becom- 

 ing a serious pest of pear in Honshu, attacking principally the 

 smaller branches and fruit. According to Kuwana this species may 

 possibly be identical with L. ficus upon fig in California. 



PEACH, PLUM, AND CHERRY INSECTS 



Among the major pests of peach two have already been discussed 

 as affecting apple and pear, these being Carposina sasaldi and 

 Grapholitha molest a (pp. 11 and 12). Another fruit feeder which 

 might be mentioned is Dichocrocis pwictiferalis (96), which is found 

 in the central and southern parts of Japan, and in Chosen, Taiwan, 

 China, and India as well. It's food plants are exceedingly diverse, 

 including peach, orange, and chestnut in Japan, whereas in Queens- 

 land it is recorded as a cotton pest, and in India it attacks peach 

 fruits and mango blossoms and is particularly injurious to castor- 

 bean pods. In Honshu there are two broods a year, and the winter is 

 passed in the mature larval stage in crevices in the trunk, in rubbish, 

 or in the oil. The eggs are laid upon the peach fruit in irregular 

 clusters of seven or eight, and upon hatching the larvae immediately 

 burrow into the flesh, thus opening the way for entrance of organ- 

 isms of decay and rendering the fruit valueless. The injury due to 

 the attacks of this species may be avoided by bagging the fruit while 

 small and by collecting adults at lantern traps. 



Four species of noctuid moths have, in the adult stage, the habit 

 of sucking the juices of the fruits; the general result being the 

 entrance of putrefactive organisms at the point of puncture and 

 later the dropping of the fruit from the trees. Calpe (Oraesia) 

 cmarginata and C. excavata are particularly serious in Chosen and 

 China, being numbered among the major pests of stone fruits in 

 some localities, while Othreis fullonica and Ophideres (Adris) tyran- 

 nies are of general distribution in the Far East, but attack more 

 particularly the citrus fruits. 



Two sphingids are recorded as attacking various species of Prunus 

 in Japan. Of these, Marvmiba gaschkewitschi var. echephron (11^) 

 is a minor pest of peach and pear which occurs on all of the main 

 islands of Japan. One generation is produced annually, the adults 

 of which emerge in May and are found in the field until August, 



