Females of Glossina palpalis palpalis (Robineau-Desvoidy) caught in Nigeria were treated topically with acetone or different doses of insecticides. None was fed after treatment. Flies later larvipositing were considered to have been pregnant and those neither aborting nor larvipositing as nonpregnant. Pregnant flies were 1·3 times as heavy as non-pregnant ones. Relative tolerances were assessed by comparing LD50s. For organochlorines (DDT, dieldrin and endosulfan), pregnant females were 2·5—4 times as tolerant as non-pregnant ones, doubtless due to diversion of insecticideinto lipid-rich larval food during late pregnancy. Data for pregnant flies did not indicate any increased tolerance of organophosphates (malathion, fenitrothion, tetrachlorvinphos and pirimiphos-methyl), possibly due to the low lipid solubility of these insecticides.Pregnant and non-pregnant females were equally tolerant of the pyrethroid Sumithrin ((lR)-cis-trans-isomer of phenothrin); accelerated larviposition prevented diversion of insecticide into in utero larvae. Pregnant females were 2·6 times as tolerant of tetramethrin (pyrethroid) as non-pregnant ones. Twenty-five per cent, of flies treated with acetone or low insecticide-doses larviposited, but the results indicated that larviposition was inhibited by high doses of most insecticides, which killed before larviposition, and, noticeably, by intermediate doses of some pyrethroids (fenvalerate, permethrin and deltamethrin), probably causing prolonged paralysis of uterine and larval muscles. The results did not indicate there was raised tolerance of fenvalerate, permethrin or deltamethrin among pregnant females, but calculations including assumed pregnant ones (unrecognized due to inhibited larvipositions) suggested that pregnant females were 2·5–5·5 times as tolerantas non-pregnant ones. Other investigations showed that flies surviving for several days after treatment with pyrethroids can feed and thrive; if this allows time for the reversalof delayed larviposition, then pregnant females could be significantly more tolerant of some pyrethroids than non-pregnant ones.

Sporadic previous reports of chironomid larvae feeding on roots of horticultural plants are reviewed and related to the growing recognition that a particular parthenogenetic species can damage severely indoor horticultural crops, particularly lettuce and young tomatoes. The taxonomy of the pest, Bryophaenocladius furcatus (Kieffer), is assessed, new synonymy proposed and a neotype and lectotype designated. The species is redescribed from the larva, pupa and adult female.

The amino acids of the haemolymph proteins of female Glossina austeni Newst. have been analysed at selected times during the first two pregnancy cycles by automatic amino acid analysis. The most prominent amino acids were glutamate, aspartate, lysine and leucine, with these amino acids accounting for almost 50% of the total amino acid residues. The molar percentage of all 16 amino acids observed varied only slightly throughout the pregnancy cycles. The amino acids of the perchloric acid-precipitable fraction of the gut contents of third-instar larvae (considered to be equivalent to milk secretion) have also been analysed and differ considerably from the haemolymph proteins, with glutamate and phenylalanine particularly prominent. Because of their low content of aromatic amino acids, the haemolymph proteins are not regarded as an important store of these compounds.

Experiments were done to compare respiration rate, thermal death point, weight loss and the life span of diapause and non-diapause larvae of Busseola fusca (Fuller). The oxygen consumed by non-diapause larvae was 578–772 mm3/g/h while that by diapause larvae was 58–238 mm3/g/h. Thermal death points for both types of larvae were in the range 46·5–49·5 °C. At high and low relative humidities non-diapause larvae lost 4·4% and 16·3% of their weight, respectively, while diapause larvae lost only 1·0% and 7·0%. At 46° and 48°C the percentage weight loss by non-diapause larvae was about twice as much as that by diapause larvae. Life span was greater at a saturation deficit of 14·2–22·5 mm Hg in both types of larvae than either at 2·8–14·2 mm Hg or 22·5–28·0 mm Hg. At this range starving non-diapause larvae lived for 4·3–5·1 days and the diapause larvae for 7·7–8·7 days. The main factor enabling diapause larvae to survive adverse conditions appears to be their efficient water conservation mechanism.

Results are presented of a study of the host specificity of Plagiohammus spinipennis (Thorns.) under conditions that emphasised the behaviour of the insect in the field in the presence of an abundance of its host-plant, Lantana cantata. The results of this and previous studies are compared.

The adult beetles fed on various test plants but had little or no deleterious effect. Oviposition was restricted to the insect’s normal host, L. camara, and to Cordia ambigua, G. grandiflora, G. curassavica, Lippia umbellata, Lippia sp. (? miocephala), Tectona grandis and Vernonia deppeana. Of these, only T. grandis is of commercial importance. Larvae were unable to complete their development on this plant and died after feeding briefly. Development by larvae of P. spinipennis was restricted to a small group of mostly related, unimportant plant species as well as the serious weed L. camara.

P. spinipennis thus shows a high degree of host specificity, and was therefore liberated for control of Lantana camara in Australia in 1967.

In December 1942 and January 1943, the late Captain T. P. Ward, R.A.M.C., carried out a malaria survey of the island of Socotra accompanied by Private G. F. W. Hart, R.A.M.C., who collected the mosquito material. The following notes have been abstracted from Captain Ward's official report.

The following is a description of a new mealy-bug occurring on cacao in the Gold Coast, which is reported by the collector, Mr. H. E. Box, to be one of the Coccid vectors (Ferrisia virgata being another) of the “swollen-shoot” virus disease of cacao.

Puri has divided the Indian Anopheline larvae into two divisions and four groups according to the character of the pleural hairs. The following is a study of the larvae of some South African Anophelines on the same lines.

An account is given of the biology and different life stages of Lioadalia flavomaculata (Deg.), an important predator of the wheat aphid, Schizaphis graminum (Rond.), in the Orange Free State, South Africa. Eggs are laid in batches of 6–23 eggs, generally on the soil, and incubation takes 2.1–2.8 days at 32°C and 8.6–9.1 days at 16°C. There are four larval instars, the last of which has the longest duration; total development of the immature stages averaged 11.5, 161, 220, 30.2, 35.5 and 54.0 days at 32, 27, 24, 21, 18.5 and 16°C, respectively. Beetles mate within a few days of emergence and oviposition commences 3–10 days later, depending on temperature. Maximum fecundity averaged 858.5 eggs at 24°C. From 20.7 to 24.6 eggs per day were laid at the higher range of temperatures studied (24–32°C). Oviposition took place mainly during the day. Adult life span was 24–74.3 days.

The daily oviposition rhythm of the tea red spider mite, Oligonychus coffeae (Nietn.) under laboratory and field conditions is described. In the laboratory, the oviposition rate was steady under constant light or darkness, but under alternating light and darkness (LD 12:12 and 8:16) showed peaks soon after the change from light to darkness and vice versa. Under field conditions, oviposition peaks occurred at dawn and at dusk when there is a rapid change in light intensity.

The beetles dealt with here were collected while I was acting as entomologist to the Percy Sladen Trust Expedition to Lake Titicaca in 1937. They were all taken on the floor and walls of a room in which Nepal barley was stored. The room—later cleared of grain and used as a dining room—was in the hacienda Camjata, Capachica Peninsula, Lake Titicaca, alt. 3,850 m. The walls were made of adobe (sun-dried brick) and the roof was thatched with Scirpus tatora.

A presence-absence sampling procedure is presented which relates the proportion of leaves infested with the mite Mononychellus tanajoa (Bondar) at a given node of cassava to the mean number of mites per leaf at that node. The procedure incorporates Taylor's variance-mean density relationship, taking into account mite aggregation behaviour. Aggregation of M. tanajoa was greater in plants where mite predators were excluded, on a resistant (CG5-79) rather than a susceptible cassava clone (MCol 22) and on leaves arising from the lower nodes rather than the higher ones. The implications of the effect of mite mortality factors on aggregation are discussed.

A brief historical account of Cimex lectularius in England is followed by an analysis of numerical data regarding infestation in twenty-three towns in England and Wales. The data indicate that in the majority of cases the degree of infestation increases along with the order of magnitude of the town ; one or two exceptional cases are discussed. Comparison of the figures for inland towns and seaports suggests, though more data are desirable, that a low degree of infestation is common in the former whereas the majority of the latter show a moderate or heavy infestation.

A key is provided to the eight genera of Anomaloninae occurring in Melanesia. The Anomaloninae are endophagous parasites of Lepidoptera and Coleoptera larvae. The Melanesian species of Anomalon Panzer, Trichomma Wesmael,Heteropelma Wesmael, Therion Curtis, Pseudanomalon Szépligeti, and Aphanistes Foerster are keyed and discussed. A total of 21 species is recognised of which 11, Trichomma cheesmanae sp. n., T. pacificum sp. n., Heteropelma hirsutum sp. n., Therion unguiculum sp. n., A phanistes nexus sp. n., A. luscus sp. n., A. limulus sp. n., A. dnopherus sp. n., A. paupus sp. n., A. sedlaceki sp. n. and A. anaxeussp. n., are described. An Australian species, Anomalon, morleyiGauld, is recorded from Melanesia for the first time. Trichomma elegantulum Turner is placed as a junior synonym of T. clavipes Krieger.

Spring migrants of Myzus persicae (Sulz.) may be produced either by parthenogenetic aphids derived from fertilised eggs laid on the primary host, or by parthenogenetic aphids overwintering on secondary hosts. Five variates, based1 on eight morphological characters of alate M. persicae, are examined to investigate how to distinguish between alatae derived from populations that have overwintered by these two means. No single variate is adequate to identify correctly all specimens, although two of them, number of abdominal tubercles, and shape of the fenestra in the central abdominal patch, may each correctly assign as many as 90%.

Stathmopoda auriferella (Wlk.) (Lepidoptera, HELIODINIDAE) is recorded as a pest in Northern Nigeria of sorghum in the field and on the head in store. Notes are given on the nature of the infestation. The mature larva is described, and characters are listed for separating it from the larvae of four common species of Lepidoptera which infest stored produce; and for separating the adult from that of Sitotroga cerealella (Ol.).

In Tanzania, residual populations of Spodoptera exempta (Walker) may persist in highlands and river valleys, giving rise to the first outbreaks in the rainy season. To examine whether parasitoids could be a key factor in maintaining these populations at low density, samples were taken during outbreaks in eastern and north-eastern Tanzania from 1980 to 1984. Parasitism was high (around 50%) in the low density samples (below 25 larvae/m2) and low (below 17%) in the highest density ones (about 250–1200 larvae/m2). The number of outbreaks reported from the same administrative district as the sample site, and concurrent with it, was inversely related to parasitism level. The directly density dependent relationship between percentage parasitism and host density at lower densities, and the inversely density dependent one at higher densities, is similar to that found in parasitoid complexes of other Lepidoptera. Parasitoids in the rare braconid genus Meteoridea were recorded attacking S. exempta; this is the first published record from mainland Africa.

Energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry was used to make quantitative determinations of the elemental composition of plasma-ashed apterous individuals of Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) and Metopolophium dirhodum (Walker). R. padi was reared on 24 plant–soil combinations and M. dirhodum on nine plant-soil combinations. Analyses were done for 12 elements: Na, Mg, Al, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Cu and Zn. Principal components analyses of individuals showed no distinction, in either aphid species, between insects reared on any plant–soil combination, whether all elements, elemental sub-sets, soil sub-sets or host-plant sub-sets were considered. When group means (mean for all individuals from a particular plant-soil combination) were used in principal components analyses, five groups of R. padi could be distinguished from the other 19, although neither set could be further separated. Four of the five distinguishable groups were from plants that grew particularly poorly, and the fifth was from plants in a soil in which all host-plants grew less well than in other soils. There were no distinct separations between groups of M. dirhodum, though there were slight indications that soils were distinguishable. In both R. padi and M. dirhodum, elemental differences involved the minor elements, particularly Mn, Fe, Cu and Zn. The uniformity of elemental content in the apterae of both aphid species may be a consequence of genetic uniformity within clones of parthenogenetically reproducing species.

The cultivation of the fig tree in Palestine has not yet attained any great or highly valuable proportions, though there are many thousands of these trees scattered over the cultivatable portions of the country, all of which yield a certain amount of annual profit. In some parts a few, small, regularly-planted collections of trees exist which can, with dignity, be termed plantations.

The fig tree in this country is of hardy growth and seldom receives much attention beyond a yearly ploughing of its surrounding soil and the removal of the crop. It is, perhaps, because of its resistance to the rigours of heat, cold and dryness which are experienced in the gamut of the country's climates, and its ability to flourish and bear a crop of profitable fruit with a minimum of expenditure on upkeep, that it is so popular with the agricultural inhabitants of Palestine.

The fruit of this tree is either sold fresh or else marketed locally after a process of sun-drying, which forms a profitable industry in the hill districts and is quite capable of considerable expansion. Some eleven species of figs are grown in Palestine, four of which are excellent for drying.

The pests of this tree are not numerous and include the fig wax scale (Ceroplastes rusci, L.), the Mediterranean fruit-fly (Ceratitis capitata, Wied.), and a recently discovered Psyllid, which is confined to a comparatively small area. Of these the fig wax scale is by far the most important.

♂♀. Integument black, with brown scaling ; the pronotum with two indefinite paler stripes ; the elytra with vague paler markings which sometimes form a very ill-defined band across the middle, broadly interrupted at the suture.

Head with the forehead divided into four areas by three deep sulci, the straight median one slightly narrower than the others, which are shallow in front and much deeper behind, curving at first inwards and then transversely outwards, so as to separate the lateral areas from the vertex ; the frontal areas of approximately the same width anteriorly, the median pair broader in front than behind and continuous with the vertex, the outer pair dilated and obtusely elevated behind, not projecting over the eyes ; the surface, when denuded of scales, with numerous minute punctures and sparse larger ones ; the eyes strongly convex, deepest behind the middle. Rostrum transverse (3 : 2), almost parallel-sided, the transverse basal incision very broad and deep ; the dorsum with a low median carina which begins to fork at or a little beyond its middle, and which at the base is as high as the narrowly separated areas on each side of it ; adjoining the carina a more or less deep curved impression, and a shallow oblique furrow on each side in the basal half ; the posterior margin of the epistome not higher than the median carina. Antennae with joint 1 of the funicle twice as long as 2, 3–7 a little longer than broad, 3–5 of equal width, 6 and 7 each becoming wider. Prothorax transverse (8 : 5), very strongly rounded (almost obtusely subangulate) at the sides, widest well before the middle, and scarcely constricted near the apex ; the apical margin truncate or shallowly sinuate, the base truncate ; the dorsum very convex longitudinally, highest at the middle, coarsely and confluently foveate, and with an abbreviated low median carina ; the scales small, subcircular and closely placed ; the setae short, scale-like and recumbent.