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PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS ON THE HABITS OF OSCINELLA FRIT , LINN. 1
Author(s) -
CUNLIFFE NORMAN
Publication year - 1921
Publication title -
annals of applied biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1744-7348
pISSN - 0003-4746
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7348.1921.tb05540.x
Subject(s) - biology , poa annua , lolium perenne , festuca pratensis , anthonomus , agronomy , weed , botany , perennial plant , curculionidae
Summary.1 The adult frit‐fly is prevalent in the field throughout the year except for the period November to April. 2 There are periods of high prevalence, which are probably limited by meteorological conditions. 3 High prevalence seems to be associated with high temperatures and emergence with rainfall, and should not be associated with any particular brood or generation. 4 It is very probable that normally four generations are produced in one year and that the fly is double‐brooded. 5 The periods between the emergence of successive generations are about 50 days in spring, 35 days in summer and 230–250 days in winter. 6 Arrhenatherum avenaceum, Festuca pratensis, Lolium italicum, Lolium perenne and Poa annua can be utilised as host plants in the summer and Alopecurus myosuroides, Arrhenatherum avenaceum, Hordeum pratense, Lolium italicum and perenne in the winter. 7 In captivity, the longevity of the imago averages 50 days in spring and in summer. 8 Ploughing‐in and rolling would only control the pest on heavy land. 9 Nitrogenous manures are not likely to repay the cost of application on average land in England. 10 The following Hymenopterous parasites are recorded, for the first time, as attacking frit‐fly: Chasmodon apterus , Nees, Psichaera (Först.) spp., Aphidius granarius and Dicyclus fuscicornis , Walker.