274 Insect, Fungus and other Pests. [July, 



"Caterpillars. — A number of specimens showing infestation 

 by caterpillars have lately been received. Caterpillars of 

 winter moths were doing much damage 

 Notes on at St. Mary Cray (Kent), Earls Barton 

 " Insect, Fungus and (Northampton), Oakham, Twickenham. 

 Other Pests.* Boston (Lines.), &c. For an account 

 of winter moths see Leaflet No. 4. 



The caterpillars of the lackey moth (Leaflet No. 69) and the 

 ermine moth (Leaflet No. 65) were attacking fruit trees at 

 Debenham (Suffolk), while the caterpillars of either the goose- 

 berry sawfly (Leaflet No. 12) or the magpie moth (Leaflet 

 No. 20) appear to have damaged gooseberry bushes at Bristol, 

 Colchester, Ipswich, Weymouth and Sevenoaks. 



Beetles. — Pigmy Mangold Beetle. A beetle which is 

 damaging the mangold crop at Gloucester, Mortimer, 

 (Berks.), and Cullompton (Devon) is that known as the pigmy 

 mangold beetle, Atomaria linearis. This species occasionally 

 does great harm to this crop. The insects live in the soil and 

 destroy the parts of the young plant below the surface of the 

 ground. The beetles are also found above ground, but the 

 life history of the pest is practically unknown, and this lack 

 of knowledge makes it difficult satisfactorily to give recom- 

 mendations for treatment. 



In infested districts on the Continent thick seeding is 

 practised. Where the crop is hopelessly destroyed deep 

 ploughing should be resorted to. Treating infested plants 

 with soot, and hoeing this well into the soil, might have a 

 beneficial effect. In the case of a tiny beetle which is very 

 destructive to seedling turnips and attacks the plants in the 

 same way as A . linearis does the mangold, good results have 

 been obtained by steeping the seed before sowing in turpentine 

 or paraffin, the odour of which is apparently deterrent to the 

 beetle. Mangold " seed " would be more difficult to treat than 

 turnip seed, but a certain proportion of the seed might be 

 treated before sowing and the result be compared with that 

 of an untreated area. In an experiment with turnips, in which 

 a drill 33 feet long was sown in each case, the following results 

 were obtained : — 



* Notes on insect, fungus and other pests, dealing with the specimens submitted 

 to the Board for identification, and their apparent prevalence, will appear in this 

 Journal month by month. The notes commenced with the issue for June, 1907. 



