Geometrid moths occurring in late autumn and early spring in temperate forest habitats are often harmful defoliators of deciduous stands. Their populations can cause locally cyclic outbreaks and thus preventive monitoring actions have been developed, mainly based on pheromone attraction of males. Females are mostly flightless with reduced or lost wings and reduced senses associated with flying. Males are standard flyers with well-developed eyes and must be able to deal with rapidly changing light conditions during their activity. Although such differences indicate sex-biased differences in reactions to light, this has been insufficiently tested. In conditions of an experimental arena and using light-emitting diodes, we tested the different reactions of the sexes for nine species to precisely defined short segments of the electromagnetic spectrum in the range 360–660 nm. Across all species, males preferred shorter wavelengths up to 500 nm, while females were nonselective and generally less active. The sexes differed by eye size and body mass, with males having significantly larger eyes and lower body mass. Between brachypterous and apterous females, the former had larger eye size, while body mass differences were statistically insignificant. There were differences between the sexes in move-to-light reactions and changes in eye size and body mass in line with wing reduction. While males preferred a relatively distinct range of shorter wavelengths, a method of attraction to lights with distinct narrow spectra could be used markedly to enhance the established methods of forest pest monitoring, either alone or in combination with chemical male attraction.

The permeability of the crop surroundings to pests and the landscape structure can influence pest dispersal between crop patches as well as its abundance within the crop. In this work, we analyzed the dispersal of the olive moth Prays oleae (Bernard) throughout the olive grove surroundings and their abundance within the crop following three approaches: (i) pollen grains settled on bodies of olive moths collected in olive groves were identified and compared with flora occurring on the surrounding patches; (ii) the capability of P. oleae males to penetrate non-crop patches was analyzed (iii) the effect of the landscape structure on the abundance of the three generations of the olive moth was studied. Pollen grains of scrubs and other trees occurring in the crop surroundings, such as Cistus sp., Quercus sp., Juniperus-type or Pinaceae were identified on P. oleae bodies suggesting that P. oleae penetrates into non-crop habitats. Additionally, woody and, to a lesser degree, herbaceous patches, did not constitute barriers for P. oleae. Finally, more complex and heterogeneous patches presented lower numbers of captures of P. oleae. These results give new insights into the movements of the olive moth in the olive grove surroundings and suggest that the management of non-crop areas could influence this pest abundance.

In January 1932 the writer received for examination a sample of narcissus bulbs, variety Diadem. The bulbs, which had been grown in Abingdon, England, for a number of years, were submitted on account of their persistently unsatisfactory growth. It was found that they were heavily infested by a species of Tarsonemid mite, which was present in sufficient numbers to account adequately for the unhealthy condition of the bulbs. No record could be found relating to the occurrence of such an infestation actually in Europe; the condition was, however, already known in the U.S.A. Ewing4 in 1929 described a new Tarsonemid occurring in narcissus, which he named Tarsonemus approximatus, Banks, var. narcissi, Ewing. The mite was named from material obtained in narcissus bulbs from the Pacific coast, which bulbs it appears had been imported from Holland. Doucette2 in the same year, 1929, published a short account of the activities of the mite with which he had become familiar in both Philadelphia and California as early as 1925, in these cases also in bulbs of Dutch origin. No other reference to the mite could be found in literature, although it is perhaps hardly necessary to state that allied species are known to be highly injurious to plants, e.g., Tarsonemus tepidariorum on ferns (Cameron1), T. fragariae and T. pallidus on strawberry (Massee7), and T. essigi on blackberry, etc. (Essig3).

All the specimens referred to below were collected by Mr. A. F. Posnette in Trinidad, British West Indies, during December 1943 or in January 1944, and were sent by him to the Imperial Institute of Entomology, London, for identification, because some of them, he thought, were of importance in the pollination of cacao flowers. The majority (46) had been found actually in cacao flowers, and all but one of these were referable to the two species, Forcipomyia quasi-ingrami, Macfie (38) and Lasiohelea nana, Macfie (7). It was these two species which Mr. Posnette believed to be “of great economic importance in Trinidad as pollinators of cacao.” The single exceptional specimen, which did not belong to either of these two species, was probably a small example of Lasiohelea stylifer, Lutz. With these insects were sent a few (8) other specimens from moss on the trunk of a cacao tree. They were, however, quite different species, namely, an Atrichopogon, a Stilobezzia, and a Dasyhelea. The following notes may facilitate the ready recognition and further study of these small insects.

Intensive surveys for breeding places of anopheline mosquitos have been carried out in Israel since 1948, and have proved to be very effective for following the dynamic changes in anopheline populations. An account is given is given of the situation with regard to the breeding of anopheline mosquitos in Israel between 1963 and 1965, in the final stage of the malaria eradication project. During this period only nine of the 14 species of Anopheles recorded in Israel were found, and of these A. sergentii (Theo.) and A. superpictus Grassi were the most abundant.

About 85 per cent. of the breeding places were found in the northern part of the country. Fifty-four per cent. of the breeding places in the whole country were man-made. Seventeen per cent. of the 1330 samples of larvae determined contained larvae of more than one species. The distribution of different species in various biotopes and the seasonal variation in the number of breeding places of malaria-transmitting anophelines are also described.

A. sacharovi Favr., the most important malaria vector in the past, has not been found in Israel since 1960. The observations on A. sergentii suggest that an exophilic strain of this species has been selected in Israel. A. coustani Lav., hitherto a rare species, has been found breeding more frequently in recent years.

The information collected during 1963–1965 is discussed for each species.

A résumé is given of the recommendations hitherto made for the control of the Narcissus flies, Merodon equestris and Eumerus tuberculatus. Nevertheless, the control of these pests still remains a major problem in the British Isles. Laboratory and field experiments on the control of both these species were carried out in 1946 and 1947. In the field trials, dichloro-diphenyl trichlorethane (DDT), benzene hexachloride (BHC) and mercurous chloride (calomel) were included. The DDT and BHC were applied in the form of sprays, at a concentration of 0·5 per cent. suspension in water, over the aerial parts of the Narcissus plants and the surrounding soil on three separate occasions at approximately monthly intervals during the oviposition period, starting on May 10, some two or three days before the adult flies normally appear in the district. The calomel was applied in the form of a 4 per cent. dust on separate occasions during this period.

BHC and DDT were successful in producing a marked reduction in the degree of infestations by both species of Narcissus flies and, of the two insecticides, the former was apparently more effective. Although calomel dust afforded an appreciable protection against attacks by the Large Narcissus Fly, M. equestris, it exercised negligible control of the Small Narcissus Fly, E. tuberculatus, in these experiments. It seems from the results obtained in the present investigations that DDT and, in particular, BHC do provide a much more effective and practical means of controlling infestations of the Narcissus flies than any other methods hitherto tested.

Rice tungo virus is tranmitted by Nephotettix impicticeps Ishihara but not by the closely related N. apicalis (Motsch.). Hybrids have been obtained from crosses between these two species. The morphological characteristics of the hybrids were not identical with either parent in respect to the marking on the abdomen of the nymphs, the submarginal black band on the vertex of the adults, or the number of teeth on the ventral surface of the aedeagus of the male genitalia. However, more than 10 per cent. of them, regardless of stage of development or sex, were able to transmit the tungo virus, indicating that the transmissive ability is inherited even in an interspecific cross. The virus seems to be nonpersistent in the hybrids as it is in N. impicticeps.

Larvae of the pine beauty moth Panolis flammae (Denis & Schiffermüller) were reared in sleeve cages on five different seed origins (provenances) of pole stage Pinus contorta in the field in each of four years from 1985 to 1988. Survival varied significantly between the years. In those years when survival was high, Significant differences between tree provenance were not found. However, between provenance significant differences were found in larval weight and stage of development. In the years when survival was low, the results seen in good years were reversed. significant differences attributable to provenance were found but these were not reflected in significant differences between larval weight or development. In addition, there was a significant correlation between the proportion surviving and larval weight, which was not the case in those years where larval survival was high. The results are discussed in light of the pest status of P. flammea in Britain and in view of current silvicultural policies. The use of trees resistant to insect attack as part of an integrated pest management programme is highlighted and the need to coordinate laboratory and field studies so as to control for environmental variation discussed.

An account is given of four gall midges whose larvae damage the seed of cocksfoot, viz. Contarinia dactylidis (H. Lw.), Dasyneura dactylidis, Metcalfe, Sitodiplosis dactylidis which is described from England and Ireland in the present paper, and Stenodiplosis geniculati, Reuter. The occurrence of predacious midges of the genus Lestodiplosis is also noted.

A short section is devoted to characters by which these midges can be distinguished.

Stenodiplosis geniculati is recorded from one English and two Irish localities on cocksfoot grass for the first time, hitherto it has always been recorded from foxtail. These midges, together with some experimentally bred on cocksfoot from foxtail parents, exhibit the typical characters of this species.

A new variety, Stenodiplosis geniculati var. dactylidis, is described from cocksfoot in New Zealand.

In a discussion of the host-plant specificity of gall midges attacking grass seeds, it is suggested that the present discovery of S. geniculati on cocksfoot in England and Ireland and the occurrence in New Zealand of this new variety exhibiting distinct morphological characters are two steps in the evolution of a new species.

I am indebted to Miss F. M. L. Sheffield for taking the photographs used to illustrate Plate IV. They were taken to show the comparative lengths of the antennal segments and not the chaetotaxy. I am also indebted to Mr. P. S. Milne who took the photographs used to illustrate Plate V.

A number of species of this genus of Encyrtid parasites are known to be, and others are suspected to be, secondary parasites ; but apparently the complete life-history has not been observed in any one case. As the genus has an almost world-wide distribution and is doubtless of considerable economic importance, the following observations made in Southern California in part of 1935 and 1936 are recorded.

The genus Chaetanaphothrips Priesner, comprising seven species and including pests of bananas, tea and orchids, is revised, and a key is provided for their identification. The host preferences and distribution of each species are discussed briefly.

Inasmuch as Phlebotomus verrucarum, Towns., has been seriously questioned as the vective agent of verruga in an important memoir recently issued,* the writer feels it incumbent upon him to answer the objections raised, as well as to reply to the various speculations put forward in the same work relating to the subject of the insect transmission of the disease.

The larva of Apomecyna binunila Pasc. is a stem-borer of cucurbits in South Africa and the Sudan. In the latter country its known distribution lies between the 12° and 20° parallels of latitude. A description of the morphology of adult, larve and pupa is given. Observations on the life-history reveal a very short development period of approximately 35 days from oviposition to adult emergence. The host range is restricted to sweer and water melon. Damage is only serious where larval populations are high and the vascular tissues are destroyed. With smaller infestations (two to three larvae per 10 cm. of stem) vascular continuity is not seriously interrupted. Reference is made to Iphiaulax sp. (BRACONIDAE), the first record of a parasite from this beetle. The larva is parasitic on larvae of Apomecyna.

A method is described by which a continuous supply may be produced, efficiently, of large numbers of adults of Drosophila melanogaster Mg. of known age and sex for microbioassay tests.

Equal numbers of male and female flies were introduced into breeding jars containing a nutrient medium and maintained at 24–25°C. and 60–80 per cent, relative humidity. They were removed ten days later, just before the emergence of their progeny.

It was found that the physical conditions in the culture jars exerted an appreciable influence on several aspects of the breeding of Drosophila. Thus, in trials in which the surface of the nutrient medium was flat and unbroken, with a pad of cotton-wool laid on it to provide suitable sites for pupation, and with or without a layer of cotton-wool beneath it, or in which the medium was broken with irregular lumps, laid on a layer of cotton-wool and arranged with a space, filled with cotton-wool, at the centre, the best results were obtained with the last modification.

Under these conditions, emergence of adults began earlier and reached its peak earlier, a most constant sex-ratio and a higher number of progeny per female, and consequently a higher yield of flies per culture jar, were obtained.

A special device, which takes advantage of the positive phototropism of the flies emerging from a group of culture jars enclosed in a darkened box with an exit funnel leading into a collecting jar, made it possible, by daily replacement of the collecting jar, to remove practically all newly emerged flies within 24 hours, so that the known age of any batch is accurate within the limit of one day.

Male flies have been found to be twice as susceptible as females and give a greater response to differences in dosage of toxicant. For this reason male flies only are to be preferred for use in bioassay experiments.

Using another device, the flies were therefore sexed, and the required number of batches of males collected. This device consists of a glass-covered container through which a gentle continuous stream of CO2/air is passed over the flies, which have already been anaesthetised with CO2. The male flies are taken up individually with a small aspirator and passed direct into test tubes where they are collected in batches.

(1) Frankliniella insularis (Franklin) is found on various food-plants, including tomatos, in the Adelaide area.

(2) The life-history and bionomics of the species have been investigated, particularly on tomato plants under glasshouse conditions. The various stages of the insect have been described.

(3) The eggs are laid in the tissues of the tomato leaf, and the larvae feed on the leaves or in the flowers; when mature they leave the plants and pupate in the débris on the surface of the soil or penetrate into the upper layers of the soil. Sometimes they pupate on the plant in rolled leaves, depressions in the stem or other similar situations; this habit has been also observed on tomato plants growing in the open during the summer. In carnation flowers eggs were laid in the tissues of the sepals and petals.

(4) The duration of the egg stage for 64 examples varied from 9–14 days when the mean daily temperature was 64·5° F. In a number of other observations it was found to vary from 3 days, when the mean temperature was 100° F., to 15 days, when the mean temperature was 63·1°F. The rate of oviposition is markedly affected by temperature: with a mean temperature of 77·5° F., one female laid an average of 3·9 eggs daily; two other females laid an average of 1·2 and 1·7 eggs daily when the mean temperature was 68·2°F.; and another female laid an average of 1·3 eggs when the mean temperature was 67·7° F. Below 60° F. the rate of oviposition is greatly retarded, but egg-laying may extend over a long period: one female continued oviposition over a period of 157 days. The largest number of eggs laid by a single female was 92 over a period of 70 days.

(5) The duration of the larval stages for 32 individuals varied from 9 to 13 days when the mean temperature of the periods varied from 66·6° F. to 65·7° F. In a number of observations on other individuals at various times the period varied from 7 to 14 days when the mean temperature varied from 74·9° F. to 63·4° F.

(6) The duration of the pupal stages obtained from 19 individuals varied from 7 to 14 days when the mean temperature of the periods varied from 72·8° F. to 66·7° F.

(7) The complete life-cycle under glasshouse conditions occupied 36–39 days when the mean temperature of the period was about 66° F. Observations made on a number of individuals at various periods gave a variation in the period of the complete life-cycle from 13 to 41 days with mean temperatures varying from 89·5° F. to 64·1° F.

(8) The chief distribution of Frankliniella insularis appears to be the region of Central America. It is common in the Adelaide area during the warmer period of the year (approximately November to April), and rare or absent during the remaining months. Its seasonal occurrence appears to be due to temperature, since it was readily reared at all periods of the year on tomato plants in the glasshouse.

(9) The economic importance of the species is due to the fact that G. Samuel and J. G. Bald have shown experimentally that it can transmit the virus of spotted wilt disease of tomatos.

Large-scale operational trials of dieldrin lattices applied by aircraft for controlling hoppers of the red locust, Nomadacris septemfasciata (Serv.), were carried out in the North Eukwa outbreak area in south-western Tanganyika during 1958 and 1959. Single swaths of dieldrin aqueous emulsion spray were applied by aircraft to vegetation at wide intervals and in two directions at 90°, forming a rectilinear lattice distribution of poisoned strips of vegetation over large, hopper-infested areas. Hoppers, especially those in bands, were killed on eating the poisoned vegetation in the strips which they encountered during their migrations. An accurate method of lattice layout by aircraft pilots without assistance from ground marking parties was developed, and the whole operation was used on a large scale for controlling the hopper infestation in North Eukwa in 1959.

Difficulty is being experienced in obtaining natural regeneration of Juniperus procera in the Daloh Forest, Erigavo, British Somaliland due to infection of the seed by an unidentified species of Megastigmus. In 1953, Mr. A. R. Tribe succeeded in breeding specimens from infested seed, and this material, together with a subsequent collection by Mr. J. J. Lawrie in January 1954, has been used as the basis of the following description.

For some years prior to 1935, the cotton Capsid of Uganda, which is now known to occur in several other parts of Africa also, was called Lygus vosseleri, Popp. In 1935, Mr. W. E. China of the British Museum (Natural History), after examining type material, published a note synonymising vosseleri of Poppius with simonyi of Reuter and concluded that the cotton Capsid previously identified by him as L. vosseleri, Popp., must therefore be called L. simonyi, Reut. This latter name has been in general use for the cotton Capsid since 1935 and is very widely known because of the great importance of the insect as a pest of cotton.

The subject which I propose to introduce is one which is of such very great importance in agricultural practice in different parts of the world that I trust it may not be out of place to give a brief account of the experiments in connexion with it, which we have been conducting in Egypt and which, although still incomplete, indicate very favourable results.