Mr. A. D. Michael has already recorded* the presence of mites of the genus Tarsonemus upon diseased sugar-cane from Barbados. He states that two species belonging to this genus were present in the material sent to him, and that the larger of the two species was certainly identical with one which Mr. Bancroft found doing serious damage to sugar-cane in Queensland. Mr. Michael proposed the name Tarsonemus bancrofti for this larger species. So far as I am aware, no description of this nominal species has been published and I am obliged to rely on Mr. Bancroft's published sketches† for information concerning it. Unfortunately his drawings are not executed in sufficient detail and I am not certain that his mite is the same species as the one which is dealt with in the present note; but as the figures of the Queensland mite differ appreciably from the Barbados specimens, it seems advisable to describe the latter under another name (T. spinipes). The species of the genus Tarsonemus often resemble one another very closely in structure, and they cannot be recognised with certainty unless a fully detailed account of their principal characters, accompanied by careful drawings, is given. Dr. Bancroft gives drawings of both sexes of his mite. He does not figure any spines on the third leg of the male, but he shows a lobeshaped expansion, similar to that of T. spinipes, on the inner side of the short fourth leg. The hairs of the body are not depicted. According to his drawings, the body of the female resembles that of T. spinipes in being very long and narrow, but is apparently much narrower at the anterior end. He represents the two terminal setae of the fourth leg of the female as being both very long and slender, the outer one being seemingly almost as long as the inner. The size of T. bancrofti is not stated, nor is the scale of enlargement of the figures given.

Descriptions are given of the immature and adult stages of Tenuipalpus ghanii sp. n., and the characters distinguishing this species from T. punicae Pritchard & Baker and T. granati Sayed are listed. In West Pakistan the preferred host-plant is Pyrus communis. T. ghanii overwinters in the adult stage; it reproduces parthenogenetically and populations of all stages reach their peak in June or July. Of the four predators recorded, Exothorhis sp. (Eupalopsellidae) was the most abundant but was restricted to Pyrus communis.

The following descriptions are based on material submitted for determination by Mr. T. Bainbrigge Fletcher, the Imperial Entomologist, Pusa, Bihar.

Hodotermes mossambicus (Hagen) is a harvester termite which competes with livestock for natural grazing. Control by baiting is recommended. Field trials in the north-western Orange Free State and south-western Transvaal, Republic of South Africa, showed that the two most commonly used commercial baits, with carbaryl or sodium fluosilicate as the active ingredient, are ineffective in controlling this species. A simple mathematical model was developed to rate the acceptability of grasses as food for the termite colonies. This enabled the attractiveness of the bait carriers as food for termites to be compared with that of the grasses. All five grass species tested had a similar food acceptability value, while both bait carriers were unacceptable as food. Failure of the baits was due to the fact that they were not consumed by the termites. The active ingredients was found to be effective when natural grass was used as the bait carrier. The mathematical model was extended to elucidate the effect of different baits on colony survival. This approach could be further used to rate new baits and their carriers objectively.

Stictococcus vayssierei is a major pest of root and tuber crops in central Africa. However, data on its ecology are lacking. Here we provide an updated estimate of its distribution with the aim of facilitating the sustainable control of its populations. Surveys conducted in nine countries encompassing 13 ecological regions around the Congo basin showed that African root and tuber scale was present in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Uganda. It was not found on the sites surveyed in Chad and Nigeria. The pest occurred in the forest and the forest-savannah mosaic as well as in the savannah where it was never recorded before. However, prevalence was higher in the forest (43.1%) where cassava was the most infested crop, compared to the savannah (9.2%) where aroids (cocoyam and taro) were the most infested crops. In the forest habitat, the pest was prevalent in all but two ecological regions: the Congolian swamp forests and the Southern Congolian forest-savanna mosaic. In the savannah habitat, it was restricted to the moist savannah highlands and absent from dry savannahs. The scale was not observed below 277 m asl. Where present, the scale was frequently (87.1% of the sites) attended by the ant Anoplolepis tenella. High densities (>1000 scales per plant) were recorded along the Cameroon–Gabon border. Good regulatory measures within and between countries are required to control the exchange of plant materials and limit its spread. The study provides information for niche modeling and risk mapping.

There are in Britain three species of gall midges the larvae of which may be found in pea-pods: the pea midge (Contarinia pisi, Winn.), which is the most common and is sometimes a pest; Lestodiplosis pisi, Barnes, a predator on the former; and Clinodiplosis pisicola, sp. n., an inquiline. The larvae are readily distinguishable both by their colour and by the structure of their anal extremities (fig. 1).

A paper by the present writer on an Ichneumonid parasite of Hepialus lupulinus (L.) under the name Alomya debellator (F.) appeared in the last issue of this journal (1950). It now transpires that this Ichneumonid is not A. debellator but Ichneumon suspiciosus Wesm. This error was pointed out, as soon as the paper was published, by Mr. J. F. Perkins of the British Museum, and agreed by Mr. G. J. Kerrich of the Commonwealth Institute of Entomology, both of whom, as specialists in the Ichneumonidae, recognised the illustration produced from a drawing prepared by Mr. A. J. E. Terzi as representing a species of Ichneumon, probably I. suspiciosus. The actual specimen illustrated has been traced, and its identification has been confirmed by Mr. Perkins as Ichneumon suspiciosus Wesm. It is certain, moreover, that all the parasite material involved was this species and not A. debellator.

In Trinidad A. aquasalis swarms over open areas, mostly grass, and over drains and not over scrub vegetation.

Swarming commences at a light incidence not exceeding 5 foot,-candles.

Mating has been observed in 54 per cent. of the swarms, the fertilisation index of females captured in them being 65 per cent.

The lag between the first sight of a swarm and the first observation of a mating pairaverages 6·5 minutes, the light incidence at commencement of mating being no higher than an average of 0·8 foot-candles.

The distribution of Rastrococcus spp. within mango trees (Mangifera indica) was studied at Bangalore, India. Population densities of R. invadens Williams, R. iceryoides (Green) and R. mangiferae (Green) were significantly higher on the abaxial leaf surface compared with the adaxial surface. Mealybug density was also higher from ground level up to 2 m compared with above 2 m. Significant variations in Rastrococcus spp. populations among trees and species composition per tree were observed. As populations built up on leaves, migration to other leaves occurred, more predominantly in R. mangiferae than in R. invadens. As the population of R. iceryoides increased on leaves, migration to twigs occurred.

A new species of scale insect from coconut trees in Trinidad is described and named Parlagena bennetti. The generic assignment is tentative. A key to the four known species of Parlagena is provided.

Western flower thrips (WFT), Frankliniella occidentalis, is one of the most destructive pests of vegetables, fruits and ornamental crops worldwide, causing extensive damage by direct feeding of the crop and transmitting economically important viruses. Despite the successes of biocontrol agents to control WFT, more efficient and cost-effective ways must be found to encourage grower adoption of integrated pest management. A sustainable fungal treatment was developed to preserve fungal inoculum in potting soil and reduce thrips populations. Combining cooked, oven-dried millet with BotaniGard® (a commercial form of Beauveria bassiana strain GHA) to potting soil increased spore production and persistence of the fungus in the soil. In treated pots with millet, spore concentrations were 3–4 times greater after 30 days compared with spore yields at 10 days. The number of WFT adults was significantly lower in the marigold pots treated with GHA mix + millet than untreated controls, 12% and 10% in treated pots and 70% and 68% in untreated pots in sterile and non-sterile soil, respectively. Incorporation of millet in the potting mix enhanced the effect of the fungal treatments by providing a nutritive substrate on which the fungus could become established. This method is relatively inexpensive and easy for growers to use in greenhouses because granular formulations of B. bassiana are not commercially available.

Individuals of Glossina pallidipes Aust. were reared separately on five developmental categories of guinea-pigs (infants, suckling mothers, pregnant females, mature virgin females, and mature males), from the time of adult emergence until they died, at 22±1°C and 40±5%r.h. More than 70% of the tsetse flies reared on infant guinea-pigs or on suckling mothers died within the first 10 days, before they reached sexual maturity. Of those reared on mature male guinea-pigs, 50% lived for more than 50 days.

Pregnant female and mature male guinea-pigs were the most favoured hosts for tsetse feeding: more than 90% of the flies exposed to these two classes of hosts succeeded in feeding, while only 61%, 70%, and 76%, respectively, of those exposed to infants, suckling mothers, and mature virgin females actually fed.

The genus Cicadulina was established in 1926 (Bull. Ent. Res. 17, p. 43) to hold a new species, C. zeae, China, injurious to maize in Kenya Colony. Later (Bull. Ent. Res., 19, 1928, p. 66) it was shown that Balclutha mbila, Naude, recorded as transmitting the virus of streak disease of maize in Natal, also belonged to this genus, and two new species C. arachidis and C. similis were described from the Gambia, where they were reported as injurious to ground-nut and suspected of transmitting the virus of the rosette disease of that plant. Since that time Dr. H. H. Storey of the Amani Research Station has been investigating the possibility of transmission of the streak virus of maize by C. zeae. In attempting to breed strains capable of transmission of the disease certain crosses were made which showed conclusively that he was dealing with two distinct species. These species he was able to separate on the colour pattern of the abdomen. Dr. Storey has now sent to me material of both these species and a study of the genitalia corroborates his finding. One, of course, proved to be C. zeae, the other is new and I therefore propose to dedicate it to the discoverer.

In Java, Brontispa longissima (Gestro) (Col., Hispidae) is represented by chr. var. javana Weise and in South Sulawesi (South Celebes) by chr. var. selebensis Gestro. The endoparasite Tetrastichus brontispae (Ferriére) (Hym., Eulophidae) attacks both chr. var. javana and selebensis. However, in Java, there are two distinct strains of chr. var. javana. In one strain (A-strain) the parasite completes its development normally but in the other (B-strain) the parasites usually die in the larval stage. The areas where each strain occurs have been demarcated.

In laboratory studies at Bogor during 1958 it was established that the lifecycles of the A- and B-strains were similar. T. brontispae completed its development from egg to adult in 15 to 21 days (16 on average) in A-hosts but died in the larval stage in B-hosts within three to four days. In a few instances parasites in B-hosts were able to complete their development, but generally the host died a few days after the death of the parasites.

In the laboratory, adult parasites attacked B-hosts as readily as A-hosts, although the former were not suitable for parasite development. Phagocytosis by encapsulation or melanisation was occasionally encountered but was not the usual cause of the death of the parasites.

For many years I have collected and bred the Indian Calliphorinae, and recently contributed a number of papers describing the common species. In the first of these, which appeared in a recent number of the Indian Journal of Medical Research (viii, no. 1, July 1920), I described in some detail the egg, larva, puparium and adults of Chrysomyia bezziana, Villeneuve, the Old World screw-worm fly, and pointed out that this species is a specific myiasis-producing Calliphorine, only breeding in living tissues, and that its larvae may be found in all forms of cutaneous, subcutaneous, nasal, oral, aural and vaginal myiasis in man and animals. In the succeeding papers I described the larvae, puparia and adults of the other common species, two of which, Chrysomyia megacephala and Lucilia argyricephala, occasionally cause myiasis in animals in India. It was not possible at the time to determine the non-myiasis-producing species, and new names were given them. But recently, when studying the species of Musca in the National Collection at the British Museum, I was able to examine Walker's types and am now in a position to give these Indian species their correct names. At the same time I have examined all the Calliphorine material in the National Collection from other parts of the world, as well as many specimens in my own collection, and I propose in this and in succeeding notes to collect together all the results of my studies with a view to revising later the species of blow-flies. Here again I am deeply indebted to Major E. E. Austen, D.S.O., for the valuable help he has given me in this work.

Because plant phenotypes can change in response to attacks by herbivores in highly variable ways, the distribution of herbivores depends on the occurrence of other herbivore species on the same plant. We carried out a field study to evaluate the co-occurrence of three coconut pests, the mites Aceria guerreronis (Acari: Eriophyidae), Steneotarsonemus concavuscutum (Acari: Tarsonemidae) and the moth Atheloca bondari (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). The eriophyid mite Ac. guerreronis is the most important coconut pest around the world, whereas S. concavuscutum and At. bondari are economically important only in some areas along the Brazilian coast. A previous study suggested that the necrosis caused by Ac. guerreronis facilitates the infestation of At. bondari larvae. Because all three species infest the area under the perianths on coconuts and S. concavuscutum also causes necrosis that could facilitate At. bondari, we evaluated the co-occurrence of all three species. We found that the occurrence of At. bondari was positively associated with Ac. guerreronis, but negatively associated with S. concavuscutum. In addition, the two mite species showed negative co-occurrence. Atheloca bondari was found on nuts of all ages, but more on nuts that had fallen than on those on the trees, suggesting that nuts infested by At. bondari tend to fall more frequently. We discuss the status of At. bondari as a pest and discuss experiments to test the causes of these co-occurrence patterns.

This summer I received for identification from the Entomological Department of the Experimental Station at Poltava one vial with 12 specimens (2 ♂♂, 10 ♀♀) of a new species of Scelio bred from eggs of Locusta migratoria ph. danica, collected by F. Lukjanovich, 12.viii.1925, at Priluky, Poltava province ; and later on Mr. B. P. Uvarov sent me two females of another species from Turkestan. All the representatives of the cosmopolitan genus Scelio, Latr., so far as we know, are egg-parasites of Acrididae. Some species have been bred from L. danica in Australia, but in Europe this is the first species of which the host has been recorded. Dr. J. J. Kieffer, in a posthumous monograph of the Scelionidae (Das Tierreich, Lief. 48, 1926), among other generic characters mentioned the four-jointed maxillary palpi. He further distinguished the Australian genus Neoscelio, Dodd, from Scelio by its having three-jointed maxillary palpi, besides the long metathoracic spine. Unfortunately Kieffer did not mention to which species of the genus Scelio his observation referred. I have dissected a few specimens of three species, S. vulgaris, Kieff., S. uvarovi, sp. n., and S. nikolskyi, sp. n., and can state that in both sexes of all these species the maxillary palpi are only three-jointed. The generic definition of the genus Scelio must therefore be corrected in this sense.

Stibaropus tabulatus, Schiödte, a Pentatomid bug of the subfamily Cydninae, is remarkable in having the unusual habit of living underground and attacking the roots of tobacco, and to the best of the writer's knowledge this is the first record of this species as an insect of economic importance; though Lefroy has mentioned the allied S. molginus, Schiödte, in his “Indian Insect Life” (p. 674) as having been observed at the roots of a palm in South India at a considerable depth below the surface. As the insect under report was something of a novelty and was a pest of such a valuable crop like tobacco, the writer made special efforts to study its life-history and habits, and it is the aim of this paper to place on record the results of his observations and studies, though he regrets that they are somewhat fragmentary in character.

A photographic apparatus is described for obtaining a record of oviposition and larval eclosion at intervals through the night. By the use of electronic flash a negative silhouette image is produced and the method used does not appear to disturb the moths during oviposition. A second apparatus incorporating a moving pen is also described for studying and recording the times of emergence of moths from their pupae.