SOUTH INDIAN C0CCID8 OF ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE. 625 



of the spherical waxy test into plates gives this insect an ornamental 

 appearance. It is recorded on Loranihus in Poona. 



14. Ceroplastodes cajani, Mark.* 



Found on Red gram all over South India. It is also found doing some 

 damage to the main vines of * Dolichos lablab, ' to shoots of Zizyphns jujuba 

 and the sacred ' thulsi ' plant (Ocimum sanctum). The scales are small and 

 oval and covered with white glassy tests of wax. Big patches of these are 

 found on Red gram and lablab stems. A species of ' Etiblemma' moth is 

 found predacious on this insect. This insect was first described by Maskell 

 under the name of ' Eriochiton atjani,' from specimens collected at 

 Madras on Red gram in 1891. 



15. Lecanium nigrum, Neit.* 



This is popularly known as ' the black scale ' and has a world-wide dis- 

 tribution. The scales are of a dark shining brown colour and have an 

 irregularly oval shape with the dorsal surface strongly convex. The scales 

 cover the shoots and leaves in numbers. In Coimbatore it has been noted 

 on Cotton, Thespesia popuhiea, Uygrophila spinosa. Sandalwood, garden 

 crotons, and Hibiscus esculentus. Sometimes it does considerable damage. 

 Some of the Thespesia, avenue trees in parts of Mysore are bad with this 

 pest. Besides the above it has been noted on coffee, tea, rubber, etc., in 

 different parts of India. It is badly parasitised by a chalcid very often. 



16. Lecanium hemisphcericum, Targ.* 



This is one of the two or three well known Coccid pests of South India — 

 * the brown bug of coffee ' and has been noted throughout the world on 

 various food plants. Sometimes it is very bad on coffee in the hill planta- 

 tions. It also infests tea, guava, cinchona and other plants. The scales 

 are oval and hemispherical and have generally a reddish brown colour. 



17. Lecanium oleae, Bern.* 



A very convex purple brown scale with prominent ridges on the surface. 

 This is not so common as the two previously mentioned species of 'lecanium.'' 

 It is found on Tamarind fruits and stalks and on Hyrgrophila spinosa (Coim- 

 batore), on coffee (Coorg), and on Sesbania and Thespesia (in the Bellary 

 District). This is the common 'olive scale' of European countries. 



18. Lecanium viride. Green.* 



Among coccid pests so far known in South India this insect appears to be 

 one of very great importance as a pest. It is popularly known as the ' green 

 bug ' of coffee and tea in the hill plantations of South India and a good 

 deal is on record regarding this insect. Besides coffee and tea which it 

 regularly infests it has been noted on Aegle and Carissa (Coimbatore) and 

 Guava, Citrus and I'lumeria acutifolia on the Nilgiris. It is often found 

 together with the ' brown scale.' 



19. Hemilecanium imhricans, Green.* 



This scale is of a fairly big size about ^" across and has a rough circular 

 shape. The dorsum is slightly convex. In colour the scale is dirty brown 

 and in many cases very closely resembles the stem of the host plant. 

 Noted on ' Jatropha multifida ' and Ailanthus excelsa (Coimbatore) and 

 Cedar (Shevaroys). It has been noted before on Ficus sp. and Red cedar 

 in Mysore ; on these trees it is a pretty bad pest. Masses of the seal© 



