I have been asked by the Imperial Institute of Entomology to identify a beetle found in mushroom-beds in South Africa. This beetle proves to be a new species of Atomaria. The genus Atomaria consists of about 165 species chiefly confined to the holarctic region. One of these, A. linearis, Stephens, is sometimes a serious pest of sugar-beet and mangold, eating the leaves and roots. Other species, e.g. A. nigripennis (Kugelann) and A. atricapilla, Stephens, are found in houses, cellars and warehouses, where they probably feed on fungi.

1. This preliminary paper is an attempt to elucidate the intricate relationship existing between Pempherulus and its physical environments.

2. A convenient technique adapted for evaluating the effects of major climatic factors, such as humidity and temperature, in the case of Pempherulus has been described.

3. Its occurrence only in the irrigated crops is attributable to its high requirements of moisture.

4. A lengthy exposure is necessary to kill the adults in temperatures of 113° and 106°F. An exposure of 6 hours seems to kill them in 122°F. and 48 hours in 113°F. The upper thermal death-point lies roughly near 122°F.

5. The upper vital temperature limit is seen to lie near 100°F. It is indifferent to variation in humidity above 100°F.

6. Adult life is prolonged as the temperature is lowered (within a range descending from 122°F. to 91 °F.) from a longevity of 6 hours to a period of 98 days, respectively. A maximum longevity of over three months is obtained with oviposition, in a mean humidity of 73 per cent, and 91 °F. A high degree of humidity (such as 60 per cent, and 80 per cent.) is necessary in normal temperatures (such as 93°F.) for obtaining maximum adult longevity.

7. Within vital limits the optimum humidity requirements vary directly with the temperature. In 93°F. the optimum lies between 60 per cent, and 80 per cent. R.H. and in 100°F. between 80 per cent, and 100 per cent. R.H.

The Capsid bugs, Sahlbergella singularis, Hagl., S. theobroma, Dist., and Helopeltis bergrothi, Reut., have been recognised as pests of cacao in the Gold Coast for more than 30 years7,8. Whilst there has never been any divergence of opinion as to the major status of Sahlbergella as pests of cacao, this does not appear to be true of Helopeltis. Patterson (see various reports of the Gold Coast Department of Agriculture,17, 18, 19, 20) considered Helopeltis to be a major pest and indicated that damage to shoots, as well as to pods, is frequent; whereas Cotterell3 describes H. bergrothi as a minor pest of cacao and states that “damage to herbaceous shoots is of very rare occurrence.” In 1939 Cotterell6 reported that he had found another Capsid (? Bryocaropsis sp.) to be comparatively widespread on cacao around Tafo.

An account is given of a series of experiments on the feeding habits of Cryptophagus acutangulus, Gyll. It was shown that this species will feed readily on a wide variety of fungi and will only rarely ingest other foods. It thrived when fed exclusively on Penicillium conidia. C. acutangulus is capable of the internal mechanical and external transmission of fungi. Approximately 15 per cent. of the Penicillium conidia germinate after passing through the alimentary canal, and these conidia are so affected that they have an enhanced germination rate. The larvae feed exclusively on the spores and hyphae of fungi.

A complete life-history from egg to adult is given. The larvae and pupae are described for the first time, and a description of the adult is also given.

The genus Phyllotreta has a world-wide range, and contains many serious pests of cultivated crops. Of the 28 described species from Africa, there are few records at present as to their food-plants. The species with yellow longitudinal bands are all very closely related to European species, and could easily be confused with them, but none in the British Museum collection agrees with described European species. G. Grandi has recorded the European species P. memorum, L., from S.W. Africa, and I think it is possible that this is a misidentification. It is almost certain that all the African species will prove to be serious pests.

Notes on insects in the Seychelles have appeared from time to time during the last thirty years in the annual reports of Seychelles Department of Agriculture. These records are now mostly lost; it is therefore the object of the present contribution to place on record such minor pests as have been collected during 1936–1939 inclusive, and have been determined by the Imperial Institute of Entomology.

Since writing my report on the establishment and work of certain predators on coconut-feeding scale-insects in Seychelles (Bull. Ent. Res., 31, 1940, pp. 253–283) some further records of their progress have been received. These records were taken by Mr. A. Michel under the direction of the Director of Agriculture of Seychelles, to whom I am indebted for the figures. The sampling was carried out in 10 of the localities sampled previously, so that the 1940 figures represent the fourth yearly count in each of these localities. The first count in 1937 was made before the predators had been liberated, while the subsequent counts show the yearly progress in scale reduction which has been achieved since they have been active.

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.