THE CURRANT ROOT-APHIS. 



167 



the pest has been confused with the apple and pear species in this 

 country. In 1894 a number of these insects were sent me as woolly 

 aphis from soil beneath apple trees in Kent, together with speci- 

 mens of Pemphigus lactularius of Passerini. Some of these undoubt- 

 edly came from currant roots growing beneath the apple trees; 

 others were free in cavities in the earth. At first I thought this must 

 be a form of the well-known apple pest, but later winged forms 

 came out of the ground and proved to be distinct. Many of these 

 were found on the apple trunk. S. fodiens seems, therefore, to be 

 able, under certain conditions, to live upon apple and other roots 

 as well as on those of the currant, which was further recorded in 



Fig. 7. — Schizoneura fodiens, an- 

 tenna of winged viviparous fe- 

 male : a, dorsal view ; b, lateral 

 view of third segment; c, further 

 enlarged rings of third segment ; 

 d, apical segment, a, much en- 

 larged; 6, c, d, more enlarged 

 (original). 



Fig. 8. — Schizoneura fodi- 

 ens, pupal markings : a, 

 ring of white meal; 

 b, opening of gland; c, 

 white fiber; d, cornicle 

 area. .Much enlarged 

 (original). 



Fig. 9. — Schizoneura 

 fodiens : Antenna 

 of pupa, very 

 greatly enlarged 

 (original). 



1897. & Since then I have several times seen real woolly aphis on 

 the roots of apple, but the currant root-aphis occurs there now and 

 again and may thus be* confused with it by growers. 



It is as a currant pest, however, that it is of such great importance. 

 Buckton originally described the species from the roots of the black 

 currant. No mention is made, however, of the variety attacked. 

 During the present year I have observed it on the Black Naples and 

 Baldwin varieties and on a cottage garden variety found in Kent, 

 known as the Old Black Dutch. The worst attacks have, however, 

 undoubtedly been on the red currant, all varieties seemingly b?- 



a Notes upon Insect Pests in 1894. p. 4, 1895. 



& Notes on Injurious Insects, Journ. S. E. Agric. Coll., pp. 15 to 21. 



