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Taken generally throughout the Federated Malay 
States the native owners of coconut plantations have hart 
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.y. Erionota thrax (one ot 
the skippers) and a species of Thosea. The damage caused 
bv 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 
leaV 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 , m March 
1906, and was continuing to defoliate the trees i in September 
of the same year when a short visit to the plantation 
showed that the pest on account of the activity of seveial 
parasites was rapidly'decreasing in numbers. 
Although this was the first reported example ot 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 m 
connecting the pest with Erionota tlirax, also a defoliatoi, 
although a totally different insect, with distinct methods 
W There was a second occurrence of the insect on the 
same plantation in February 1908. No report was received 
bv 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 oil many 
trees. Later in February 1909 the same disease was re- 
ported from Province Wellesley and during the 8 days of 
mv 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 ot this insect as a 
nest 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 
m. 
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