64 REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE 



then aestivate during the hot, dry season and emerge at 

 irregular intervals thereafter as late as July or August. 

 From the practical point of view of control this is of some 

 importance, as measures taken on the first appearance of 

 the insects after hibernation may be rendered abortive, or 

 will at least require to be supplemented, in view of these 

 later emergences. An observation of this kind, apparently 

 trivial in itself, emphasizes the fact that an intimate know- 

 ledge of the habits of the insects concerned must be the 

 first step towards their control. 



Crocidolomia binotalis is a cold weather pest of 

 Cruci ferae. Unsuccessful attempts were made to find 

 out how it passes through the rest of the year. 



Zonabris pustulata is an extremely common black 

 and red Blister beetle whose life-history is yet unknown. 

 Eggs were obtained in November 1914 and hibernated in 

 the soil, hatching at the end of the cold weather, but all 

 attempts to get the young larvae to feed on eggmasses of 

 various grasshoppers proved unsuccessful, and the grubs 

 could not be reared. Dr. Roepke, of the Experimental 

 Station at Salatiga in Java, has recently informed me that 

 he found larvae of this species feeding on eggmasses of 

 Cyrtacanthacris ; it is probable that this beetle has a similar 

 habit in India. 



Another failure was encountered in further attempts 

 to obtain the life-history of Anthia seocguttata, a giant 

 Carabid which feeds in the adult state on practically any 

 insects it is able to catch. 



A Bruchid beetle (Bruchus ajfinis) was observed to lay 

 eggs extensively on pea-pods at Pusa in January and Feb- 

 ruary, so that the peas may be infected in the field before 

 being stored. These seeds have been treated and stored in 

 various ways to ascertain the extent of damage and how it 

 can best be checked. 



An unidentified Dermestid beetle in stored wheat has 

 been found to complete its transformation in from one to 

 two years, 



