174 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 



NOTES ON RHABDOCNEMIS OBSCURUS BOISD. IN 



AUSTRALIA.* 



BY A. A. GIRAULT, NELSON, N.Q., AUSTRALIA. 



During July, 1912, this species was reported to be injuring 

 sugar cane at Innisfail (Darradgee, Goondi and Mundoo), North 

 Queensland. Upon visiting the area during the last week of the 

 month, the reports were found to be true and active measures were 

 being taken by the farmers to combat the insect. Injured cane 

 was first noticed on the trucks at the Goondi Mill, where about one 

 or two per cent of the bottom ends of the cut cane were observed 

 to bear borer channels. Later, after exploring rapidly the whole 

 area, the insect was found to be most common at Darradgee, 

 common at Goondi, but none were found at Mundoo nor East 

 Innisfail. The farmers were using baits made of halved pieces of 

 cane, the inner side of each half stick sometimes smeared with 

 molasses and a half a dozen or so laid face down upon the ground 

 in a row upon a small, clean area. The baits were placed only 

 around one or two edges of a field ; a large number of them were 

 examined during the week, with the result that no beetles were 

 found as a general rule with the exception of the worst fields, where 

 on the average a dozen were taken from each trap (d ay : these fields 

 had been trapped and collected for several weeks previously). 

 Badila was the variety infested, since I saw but little injury to 

 others (mostly Singapore) ; the former is softer, having less fibre. 

 Exploration of cane fields — in the trash left after cutting, under 

 logs, around the edges of cane fields, in nearby jungles, on banana 

 trees and so forth — resulted in finding the beetle only in the living 

 cane plants, where they were hiding (daytime) under the sheaths 

 of the lowest green leaves upon which they feed by gouging out 

 short, longitudinal channels from the inner surface. Sometimes 

 they were hiding under the lower (dead) leaf-sheaths, and, as 

 stated, under the traps. Rarely, a beetle was found on the ground 

 or out of the fields entirely. None were seen at lights at night. 

 They were sluggish at all times and none were observed flying (day) ; 

 when disturbed they would generally assume a feigning attitude, 

 remaining inert. The edges of the field, apparently, were most 



* Contribution No. 8, Ent. Laboratory, Bureau of Sugar Expeiiment Stations, 

 Bundaburg, Q. 

 Mav, 1914 



