688 



Insect, Fungus and other Pests. 



[dec, 



beetle, dealt with in this Journal for June and September, 

 1907. The second was Niptus (Ptinus) hololeucus, a round insect 

 with golden yellow pubescence (seen when the insect is examined 

 with a lens), and with its head bent below the thorax. This 

 beetle was introduced ' in merchandise, and is now found in 

 many parts of Britain. It lives chiefly in houses, feeding on 

 dry materials, e.g., provisions, wool, &c. It cannot fly. A 

 third beetle was identified as a Ladybird, a small smooth 

 beetle, black in colour with yellow markings. All species of 

 ladybirds are deserving of protection from the cultivator, owing 

 to their destruction of green flies, which form their chief food. 

 A fourth specimen was identified as Tachyporus hypnomm, a 

 small beetle with yellow wing covers. It is found amongst 

 decaying organic matter, and belongs to the family Staphy- 

 linidce , a family with species which on the whole are deserving of 

 protection by the cultivator. A fifth proved to be a specimen 

 of Sitones (probably ononides). The specimen received was 

 rather rubbed, and therefore determination of it was not 

 absolutely certain. Species of Sitones are dealt with in Leaflet 

 No. 19. The sixth beetle forwarded was Gonioctera polygoni, 

 which belongs to the same family as the Mustard beetle, viz., 

 Chrysomelidce, a family numbering several species which are 

 troublesome owing to their eating leaves. 



Celery Stem Fly. — The dying off of the outside shoots in 

 some specimens of diseased celery forwarded from Bradford 

 was due to the work of the larva of the Celery Stem Fly, which 

 tunnels into the bases of the leaf-stalks. If the attack is not 

 on too large a scale the plants that are infested should be 

 burned. Pupation of the full-grown maggots takes place in 

 the soil or in the destroyed tissues of the plant ; the soil, there- 

 fore, on the infested area should be turned well down, so that the 

 insects are deeply buried and cannot make their way to the 

 surface. If the area of attack be an extensive one (and there 

 is one record of over 20 acres being attacked) the same crop 

 should not be taken in the following year. 



Mites in Hay. — Specimens from a clover rick at Halstead 

 were identified as Tyroglyphus longior, a mite closely allied to 

 the Cheese mite, T. siro, with which it may sometimes be found. 

 T. longior is known as the Hay mite, and is sometimes found in 

 great quantities round the ricks, and, later on, among the hay. 



