April & August. 1999 
to adverse weather. Many East African species arc 
perennials 
The parasite may be introduced into a field and 
spread by any of the following means (i) as impurity in 
the crop seed; (ii) as seeds and stem pieces moved by 
irrigation water: (iii) as stem pieces present on the dry 
straw from invested fields; <iv) as seeds in manure, 
(v) as stem pieces transported by cattle and farm 
implements; (vi) as stem pieces carried by birds or 
strong winds. 
Eradication 
As discussed by Singh (1990). it ,s necessary to pay 
full attention to practices to prevent introduction of 
dodder, and if present to guard against its spread bv (i) 
the selection of dodder free seed; (ii) the avoidance of 
dodder invested cattle fodder; (iii) preventing the 
movement of grazing animals from invested to clean 
fields: (iv) restricting the flow of irrigation water through 
infested areas; (v) avoidance of the use of dodder 
containing manure; t vi) destruction of the crop by- 
burning before seeding; and (vii) by leaving the ground 
fallow after selected eradication measures have been 
completed and then followed with a five-year rotation 
beginning with a non -host crop 
A. Muthnma Muasya. East African Herbarium. 
National Museums of Kenya. P.0 Box 45166. Nairobi 
Kenya. 
References 
Agnew.A.DQ & Agnew. S 1994 Upland Kenya Wild 
Flowers, 2nd Edition East Africa Natural History 
Society. Nairobi 
Singh. R.S 1990 Plant Diseases, 6th Edition . Oxford 
& IBM Publishing Co Pvt Ltd Calcutta 
Verdcourt. B 1963. The Flora of Tropical East Africa. 
Conwlvulaceae (Hubbard C.E. & Milne-Redhead. 
E cd ), Crowm Agents, London. 
ANOTHER MATING BETWEEN THE DIADEM 
BUTTERFLY AND TRIMEN’S FALSE ACRAEA 
In the last issue of the Bulletin I reported a cross-species 
mating in one of the large Kipepco flight cages (Gordon. 
1998) I had found a male diadem ( Hypolimnas 
nustppus) coupling with a Trimen’s False Acraca 
'Pseudacraea boisduvali ) On the very day that that 
issue of the Bulletin went to press. 1 called round at 
Kipepco and was told that Rose Justus, a Kipepco staff 
member, had seen a male diadem mating with another 
species. This had happened in one of the small cages 
f60 x 30 x 30 cm) used to transfer butterflies from the 
forest to the Gede Flight cages When 1 quizzed her 
about it. she couldn’t remember the scientific name of 
its partner, but was able to point it out in Larsen’s field 
guide It was a female Pseudacraea boisduvali 
So at least one of the speculations I had made in the 
Iasi issue can now be ruled out. The first mating I 
observed was obviously not a freak event with no 
particular significance There must be some common 
feature in the mating behaviour of the two species which 
encourages them lo gel together But the bigger question 
I had raised remains: was it rape or female choice'' 
Both incidences having occurred in confined spaces 
would suggest that perhaps the first choice is the more 
likely, the confined space making it more difficult for 
the female to avoid the male’s advances An 
experimental approach might prove interesting 
Ian . 1 . Gordon. Box 1001 8 Bamburi PO.. Mombasa. 
Kenya 
July 3! st, 1999 
The Editor. 
Dear Ms Depew 
As the Karen A Langata District Association 
environmental representative-a far too grand title for 
" hat / actually do— I try, with other members aj the 
committee, to find out wherr indigenous trees are being 
cur down m this area, once a haven for birds and small 
animals We try to pres ent this happening A great deal 
of felling of huge, old eucalyptus trees has been taking 
place recently on the banks of the Mbagathi river, with 
permission from the local chief Wfr did not consider 
this particularly important as no indigenous trees were 
cut and the plot owners concerned are keen to replace 
the gums with indigenous trees Hc^ ever, Dave Richards 
uoj much concerned fry the destruction on the river 
and compiled the enclosed list of animals and birds 
disturbed and displaced, probably permanently. In t In- 
fell mg of these trees 
Mr Richards ' information has taught me something 
/ did not kmm and I suspect many other conservation 
minded people don’t either It is clear from w hat he 
says that all tree felling is bad. whether indigenous or 
exotic 
/ have his permission to send you his list and ask 
you to publish it in the next Bulletin if you wish 
Yours sincerely, 
Clare Caier (Mrs.). PO Box 24923. NAIROBI. 
Kenya 
EUCALYPTUS TREES 
fhis is a list of Mammals and Birds that I have observed 
in the belt of Eucalyptus which have now either been 
