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Taken generally throughout the Federated Malay 

 States the native owners of coconut plantations have had 

 up to the present time, with the exception of the coconut 

 beetle, but few insect pests to fight against. Quite a large 

 number of minor pests exist, such as scale insects, and 

 sporadic lepidopterous pests, e.g. Erionota thrax (one of 

 the skippers) and a species of Thosea. The damage caused 

 by these is usually not extensive, but considerable improve- 

 ment is desirable in certain parts of the Federated Malay 

 States where scale insects are in large numbers on the 

 leaves. 



During the past three years, in two widely separated 

 localities, a new pest of coconuts has appeared. It was 

 first reported from Pusing Bharu, Batu Gajah, in March 

 1906, and was continuing to defoliate the trees in September 

 of the same year when a short visit to the plantation 

 showed that the pest on account of the activity of several 

 parasites was rapidly decreasing in numbers. 



Although this was the first reported example of its 

 occurrence it appears that it is known to certain natives, 

 although not as a serious pest. The owner of the plantation 

 at Pusing Bharu stated that seven years had elapsed since 

 the previous attack when very few trees were affected. It 

 is possible that if it did occur previously the period of its 

 absence is exaggerated, and it is equally likely that he is 

 connecting the pest with Erionota thrax, also a defoliator, 

 although a totally different insect, with distinct methods 

 of work. 



There was a second occurrence of the insect on the 

 same plantation in February 1908. No report was received 

 by this department until June 1908 when a visit to the place 

 showed it would be too expensive to prevent further depre- 

 dations. The third brood was in progress and fifteen 

 to twenty thousands caterpillars were present on many 

 trees. Later in February 1909 the same disease was re- 

 ported from Province Wellesley and during the 8 days of 

 my visit an opportunity was afforded to obtain a partial 

 knowledge of its life history. At Pusing Bharu about 20 

 per cent of the third brood of caterpillars were parasitised, 

 but no eggs have been noticed to be similarly affected. 



The somewhat sporodic occurrence of this insect as a 

 pest appears to be due to a diminution of its parasites, per- 

 haps on account of the presence of a hyperparasite, thus 

 enabling the moth to increase without hindrance. 



It is advisable that managers of plantations acquaint 

 themselves with this insect, and its methods of work. The 



