Currant Aphides. 



rind, attaching- them to it by a gummy excretion ; here they 

 remain until the spring, when they give rise to larvae, which 

 soon grow into the " Mother Queens." The wingless female 

 is smaller than the former species, being little more than 

 one-twelfth of an inch long. 



Natural Enemies. — The larvae and the adults of the two- 

 spotted Lady Bird [Adalia bipunctatd) are often to be found 

 feeding amongst the colonies of lice, and do inestimable 

 good in keeping them in check. Larvae of several species of 

 Hover Flies (Syrphidce) also feed upon them, these leech-like 

 repulsive green or dull red larvae living among the lice in 

 the blisters or curled leaves, and one may devour as many as 

 twenty lice in a day. Ichneumons do not appear to be 

 parasitic on either of these species, nor do the Lace-Wing or 

 Golden-eye Flies (Chrysopa) seem to feed on them. 



Prevention a?id Treatment. 



Little can be done to prevent the attack of these 

 currant lice. Black currants should be cut very hard 

 in the autumn after an attack, and the strippings carried 

 away and burnt. By so doing many eggs will be destroyed. 

 Probably some benefit would be derived by the winter 

 washing with caustic alkali wash. The use of this spray is 

 not only to rid the plant of vegetal incumbrances — moss and 

 lichens which shelter various hibernating insects — but it also 

 affects the eggs of certain insects, such as the Psylltdce and 

 some Aphididce. It will also remove the Brown-scale, Leu- 

 canium ribis, often noticed on currant and gooseberry bushes. 



Caustic alkali wash is prepared in the following way : — 

 Dissolve i lb. of caustic soda and i lb. of carbonate of potash 

 separately in water, then mix the two together and add to 

 10 gallons of soft water ; then add to this J to f lb. of dis- 

 solved soft soap (Chiswick), or i lb. of coarse treacle. Spray 

 over the bushes about February. 



When Aphides are present on the bushes it is most 

 important to spray early in the year, directly the lice are seen 

 that is before the blisters appear or the leaves become curled 

 up ; the lice can then be readily reached by the spray, which 

 cannot be done later in the year. 



