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SOME SOUTH INDIAN COCCIDS OF ECONOMIC 



IMPORTANCE, (a) 



BY 



T. V. Ramakrishna Ayyae, B.A., F.E.S., F.Z.S., 



Ag. Government Entomologist, Madras. 

 Agricultural College and Research Institute, Coimbatore. 



The economic importance of Coccidas (scale insects and mealy 

 bugs^ needs no special mention — especially in tropical countries. 

 Though this is well known in tropical America, Australia and 

 South Africa, the fact is not so well realised in India. The causes 

 that contribute to this paucity of oiir knowledge regarding this 

 group of insects are many. In the first place these insects have a 

 partiality for fruit trees, garden shrubs, and hot house plants, and 

 in India there is hardly anything compared to the extensive fruit 

 cultivation and horticulture found in those countries. Except on 

 the hill ranges where some attempt is nowadays being made to 

 grow fruits, and around some big cities where nursery men ply 

 their trade, there is nothing worth the name of fruit culture any- 

 where in the plains ; this is specially the case in South India. 

 Secondly, though several species of Coccids are found in India, 

 except in a few cases damage to the ordinary cultivated crops by 

 these insects is very little, compared to others like beetles and 

 caterpillars with which agriculturists are more familiar. 



But nowadays, however, there is a tendency and desire on the 

 part of both European settlers and Indian landlords in different 

 parts of India to take to gardening and fruit culture in addition to 

 the time-honoured custom of growing only the staple food and 

 industrial crops. To these prospective gardeners and orchardists a 

 knowledge of the Coccids of the country — especially of those forms 

 which are of some economic importance — will, I believe, be of 

 some use and it is chiefly with this idea of contributing a little in 

 this direction that this paper is read. 



In the course of a systematic study of the species of this in- 

 teresting group of insects found in South India, I have had 

 chances of noting some forms which, judging from their present 

 status, bid fair to play some prominent part as insects of economic 

 importance in course of time. At present most of the species are 

 found confined to various wild trees and shrubs, and some of the 

 well-known fruit pests of the group so far known in the country 

 have not as yet spread sufiiciently to attract any serious attention. 



(a). This is a paper which was read at the Indian Science Congress,- Lahore, in 

 January 1918. 



