Several species of Dynastid beetles are serious pests of yam (Dioscorea) in Nigeria, the adults attacking the setts and new tubers underground. The base of the yam vine and the roots are not generally damaged. The most important species is Heteroligus meles (Billb.).

H. meles does not breed in the yam fields, and the adults fly to them from breeding grounds that are distinct, and to which they return later.

The cultivation and growth of the yam plant in Nigeria are briefly described. Small tubers, or cut pieces of tubers (setts) are planted. The earlier the date of planting and of emergence of the vine from the soil, the heavier the vine and the new tuber.

An account is given of observations on the infestation, in relation to crop growth, of a plot of yellow yams (D. cayenensis) planted near Benin, in Western Nigeria on 29th March 1958.

Adults of H. meles were taken, from 3rd April to 26th June and again from 8th to 21st November, between 7 and 9 p.m., at a light-trap placed at a distance of ¼ mile from the plot.

Beetles entered the soil of yam hills within six inches of the vine, usually before 7 a.m., on mornings following evening flights, the entry holes usually being identifiable. The first vines were seen in the experimental plot on 19th April. Beetles did not enter a yam hill unless the vine had emerged.

The longer the exposure to flying beetles, the more likely were plants to be attacked, and bigger vines attracted more beetles than did smaller ones. Later planting decreased beetle damage, but a lower yield resulted.

At first the beetles fed on the sett, making and increasing the size of fewer lesions than later on the new yam. About the time that the flying period ended, the setts were starting to rot, and the beetles left the immediate vicinity of the yam plant, as no acceptable food was available. Most moved deeper into the soil, but a few left the plant altogether and flew away. After the new tubers had begun to develop, the beetles returned in early August from their positions deeper in the soil to feed on them, constantly making new lesions, more numerous but smaller than those made in the setts, averaging about 4 g. of yam eaten.

During late August and again in late September, a few beetles moved underground from the original plants attacked to others. In mid-November, the beetles left the yam fields altogether, presumably returning to the breeding area.

The reasons why the beetles fly away from the yam fields remain uncertain, but they may include the seasonal decline in rainfall, the maturation of the yam tuber and the development of the gonads.

Factors that can affect the rate of attack are the dates of planting and harvesting in relation to the period during which the beetles fly, the method of cultivation and the variety of yam planted.

The black-headed palm caterpillar (Nephantis serinopa, Meyr.) has been known to be a serious pest of coconut palms both in Ceylon and South India for many years past, and during the past ten years its appearance on a serious scale along the Malabar coast in South India has been attracting the attention of the Entomological Section of the Madras Agricultural Department. Among the different methods of control, the utilisation of the natural enemies of the pest has been tried to some extent. One of the more important natural enemies found to exert some appreciable influence on this pest was a Eulophid wasp, Trichospilus pupivora, Ferr. As one of the officers of the Entomological Section engaged in the work connected with this coconut pest, the author had opportunities of closely studying this parasite, and in this paper a brief account is attempted of the bionomics of this insect and of some methods employed in breeding it on a large scale.

This insect has been referred to in various publications of our Department under the name of Monophlebus stebbingi var. octocaudatus, Gr. It occurs every year at Pusa on many fruit trees, but is especially bad on peach, plum, mango, and jak (Artocarpus integrifolia, Linn.).

If the destruction of the breeding-places of Aëdes argenteus (aegypti, fasciata) is carried out too completely, it is known that some of the females lay their eggs in abnormal places in which they would never oviposit if their peace of mind had not been very greatly disturbed. Carter has advocated placing pots of water on verandahs in order that the female mosquitos may follow their sexual instincts without perversion ; at the same time no breeding takes place, as the pots are emptied, dried and refilled once a week. A drawback to this method is that it must be done by a careful, methodical person or the pots may become breeding-places and larvae will adhere to the bottom of the pot and survive.

Africanized honeybees are presently expanding their geographic range within the USA and are considered undesirable due to their substantial defensive behaviour. Africanized honeybees can be differentiated from honeybees of European ancestry using discriminant analysis of morphological characters, based on a minimum of ten intact specimens per colony. In this paper we report a PCR-based method suitable for the identification of African or European mtDNA from sting remnants, such as typically remain on victims following a stinging incident. We experimentally simulated collection and shipment conditions with dried and alcohol preservation of stings, and also report that the method was suitable for sting remnants stored with a victim sample for over one year in alcohol. The determination of mtDNA haplotypes from stinger remnants must be tempered by the constraints inherent in interpretation of mtDNA haplotype data. Such data do not provide any information regarding the genetic contribution of the paternal lineage. However, in geographic areas where baseline information regarding European haplotype frequencies is known, the detection of a different mtDNA haplotype in stingers from a victim, especially when associated with observations of extreme defensive behaviour, would certainly be suggestive of Africanization.

This paper reports the data for the uncommon Anopheles spp. from 24-h man-baited catches mainly in the Semliki Forest, Uganda, but also from the Zika and Mpanga Forests Anopheles (Cellia) nili (Theo.), A. (C.) marshallii (Theo.), A. (C.) demeilloni Evans, A. (C.) squamosus Theo., A. (A.) coustani Lav. s. str. and A. (A.) tenebrosus (Dön.) were rarely caught. A. (A.) obscurus (Grünb.), A. (C.) moucheti Evans and A. (C.) keniensis Evans were also scarce, but the numbers did indicate nocturnal and ground-haunting habits. Comparison of catches of the less uncommon species (A. (A.) ziemanni Grünb., A. (A.) paludis Theo., A. (A.) implexus (Theo.), A. (C.) funestus Giles, A. (C.) hargreavesi Evans and A. (C.) pharoensis Theo.) with those obtained by other workers showed them to be primarily ground haunting and nocturnal but with wide variation in their temporal distribution patterns.

1. Disappearance of Simulium neavei after DDT-treatment of rivers in Kodera, Kenya, is still manifest after seven years, and the species seems to have been eradicated from the district.

2. Skin microfilaria rates have dropped from something under 7 per cent. to nil in the under 4 years age group; from 37 to 5 per cent. or less in the 4–8 years; and from 70 per cent. to 50 per cent. in adults.

3. The length of life of the adult worm can be at least seven years.

Very little is known about the African DELPHACIDAE, especially the tropical forms. For this reason it is worth recording the few species represented in a small collection made by Mr. J. C. Bridwell at Oloke-Meji, Ibadan, Nigeria, in 1914. All the specimens were swept from grasses and reeds. It isto be hoped that larger collections will soon be available and that those who work at them will examine and give figures or adequate descriptions of the genitalia, especially of the aedeagus. Owing to the wide distribution ofsome species and the great difference in colour of other species, and the paucity of good specific distinctions in the chroötic characters, it isalmost impossible to identify many species of the Delphacides group without making use of the phallic characters.

Tomaspis saccharina, Dist., is a Cercopid bug which infests the cane-fields of Trinidad in vast numbers during the wet months of the year. Corresponding with the successive generations, there are three, and sometimes four nights or broods of adults, each of which causes severe damage to the cane. This damage, or “ froghopper blight,” as it is locally called, is a result of the feeding activities of the adult on the foliage, and is characterised by a progressive discoloration of the leaves, leading to death of the affected leaf and, in severe cases, to the death of the cane. In either event, growth of the plant is more or less severely checked and the adverse effect on yield is usually of a very significant nature.

The effect of host movement on multiple feeding by Aedes aegypti (L.) was observed in a laboratory experiment and the value of techniques developed to measure multiple meals was assessed. Multiple feeding on the arms of two human volunteers was significantly increased when both hosts moved their arms. If only one host was moving, a slight increase in multiple feeds over the level obtained with no movement was noted, although in such cases the majority of meals were taken from the stationary host. Statistical analyses of the results showed that the association between host movement and multiple feeding was highly significant.

Palestine: 10, ♂♂, 2 ♀♀ from Jaffa, Jericho, Jerusalem and Haifa, 1924 (G. F. Hucklesby), 1929 (J. Tapukhi). China: Shantung, 4 ♂♂ from Tsinan and Taishan, 1926 (E. Hindle).

Othreis materna (L.) is an important fruit-sucking moth in Rajasthan (India). The immature stages are described in detail and illustrated by means of photographs and setal maps, points distinguishing this species from O. fullonia (Cl.) being noted. Females laid 200–400 eggs; the durations of the egg, larval and pupal stages on Tinospora cordifolia were 3–4, 16–23 and 10–13 days, respectively.

A species of Dioryctria reared from Pinus kesiya (= khasya) at Shillong, Assam, where it is found in association with D. abietella (Schiff.) and D. sylvestrella (Ratz.), is described as new and is named D. castanea sp.n. The distinctive purplish or reddish chestnut brown coloration of the forewings is considered to distinguish this species from others in the genus. Illustrations are given of the adult and of the male and female genitalia.

Chorthippus vagans is a common species of Gomphocerinae (Orthoptera) on the Iberian Peninsula. It is endangered in Central Europe where information about its ecological requirements is available; however, aspects of its biology are almost unknown in Mediterranean ecosystems, where it is widespread and common. The focus of this study was to determine how C. vagans adjusts its biology to environmental features of this ecosystem and to interpret how it may be affected by the ecological changes related to the re-vegetation programme linked to the construction of the Breña dam (SW Spain). The research parameters included the autoecology, feeding response and some aspects of reproduction of this species in the Southern Iberian Peninsula. To determine the local distribution and phenology of C. vagans, monthly samplings were conducted (2007–2010) in 12 sampling plots. For the food selection tests, ten nymphs and ten adults were placed individually in insectaries under controlled conditions. Grasses (Lolium sp.) and shrubs (Cistus sp.) were supplied ad libitum in two types of tests, monospecific and mixed diet. The reproductive biology was analysed by both observations of anatomical structures (integument, bristles, tibial spines, tarsal claws and mandibles) and ovarian dissections of 29 females and in laboratory rearing experiments with 15 pairs of adults. The results indicate that C. vagans shows an extended activity period which peaks at the end of summer. It is a polyphagous grasshopper, although adults show a slight preference for grasses. In addition, it is a univoltine species with spring–summer breeding activity.

Andrena camellia Wu is one of the primary pollinators of Camellia oleifera A. in China. In this paper, the essential number of individuals for efficient pollination by this species was calculated via two criteria, based on various indicators including counts of pollen grains in provisions, from single visits, and from single foraging trips overall; single flower visit duration; single flight period duration; number of eggs laid by a single female over their lifetime; and the average number of flowers per plant. Based on the number of pollen grains collected per flower visit, the essential number of females necessary is 2107 in a 1-ha Camellia oleifera garden with 1800 plants, while only 1998 female individuals are essentially needed when estimated based on the mean number of pollen grains collected in a single flight period. We argue that the essential number estimated by the former method is more reasonable and accurate for practical applications.

On arriving at Nsazi Island on Victoria Nyanza in July 1918 to carry out some experiments with Glossina palpalis and rinderpest, I was at once struck by a marked diminution in the numbers of the fly on this and the neighbouring islands. Since the days of the first Commission of the Royal Society, the small island of Kimmi, about three-quarters of a mile N.E. of Nsazi, has been noted for the numbers of its tsetse. I had with me some of the original Mpumu fly boys and others who had worked on these islands with Fiske and Carpenter from 1911 to 1916. Their evidence on such matters is reliable, as they receive a bonus for their catches. They were all unanimous that the fly on Kimmi, Nsazi, and Tavu Islands had decreased very markedly in numbers. My own observations confirmed this in each case.

The tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta is one of the most devastating pests for tomato crops. Digestive proteases and β-glucosidase enzymes were investigated using general and specific substrates and inhibitors. Maximal β-glucosidase and proteolytic activities occurred at temperature and pH optima of 30 and 40°C, 5 and 10–11 unit of pH, respectively. Zymogram analysis showed the presence of distinguished β-glucosidase exhibiting a specific activity of about 183 ± 15 µmol min−1 mg−1. In vitro inhibition experiments suggested that serine proteases were the primary gut proteases. Gel based protease inhibition assays demonstrated that the 28 and 73 kDa proteases might be trypsin-like and chymotrypsin-like enzymes, respectively. Overall gut trypsin-like and chymotrypsin-like activities were evaluated to be about 27.2 ± 0.84 and 1.68 ± 0.03 µmol min−1 mg−1, respectively. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis showed that T. absoluta gut serine proteases are responsible for Bacillus thuringiensis Cry insecticidal proteins proteolysis. Additionally, bioassays showed that T. absoluta larvae development was more affected by the β-glucosidases inhibitor (D-glucono-δ-lactone) than the serine proteases inhibitor (soybean trypsin inhibitor). These results are of basic interest since they present interesting data of β-glucosidases and gut serine proteases of T. absoluta larvae.

This paper deals with seven Indian species and one African variety belonging to the subfamilies Spathiinae and Doryctinae. Four of the species are important parasites of the cotton stem weevil, Pempheres affinis, Fst., and are described as new in compliance with an urgent request for their names.

The encyrtid genus Tachinaephagus is revised, and a key to species presented. Four species are described and illustrated: T. stomoxicida sp. n., a very important parasite of Stomoxys nigra Macq. from Uganda and Mauritius; T. malayensis sp. n. from Malaysia; T. javensis sp. n. from Indonesia; and T. congoensis sp. n. from Zaïre. A lectotype is designated for T. zealandicus Ashm., the type-species of Tachinaephagus, and this genus as defined here is restricted to larval and pupal parasites of Diptera. Zeteticontus, which is superficially similar, is in fact distinct, and characters separating the two genera are tabulated.

The existence in Mauritius of the Melolonthid beetle, Phytalus smithi, Arrow, was detected for the first time in July 1911 on those lands of Mon Rocher Estate which adjoin the Royal Botanical Gardens of Pamplemousses. It was at once suspected that this new pest of the sugar-cane must have been conveyed into the Colony by some shipment or other of sugar-cane cuttings from abroad, but no clue could be found as to its country of origin until February 1912, when it was detected in Barbados by Mr. Guy A. K. Marshall, Director of the Imperial Bureau of Entomology, who was then on his way to the Agricultural Conference held at Trinidad in that year.