INSECT LIFE IN INDIA AND HOW TO STUDY IT. 127 



cyanea, Marietta leopardina, Cephaleta purpureiventris, C. brunneiven- 

 tris and C. fusciventris parasitic on the brown bug (Lecanium cojfece) 

 of coffee and Encyrtus nietneri and Chartocerus musctformis parasitic on 

 the white bug (Pseudococcus adonidum) of coffee. This list of parasitic 

 chalcids shows that the family, although the individuals are so minute, con- 

 tain species of extreme importance to man, and agriculturists and planters 

 would do well to remember that minute flies hovering about during 

 severe infestations of defoliating caterpillars or serious scale insect 

 attacks are probably there as friends and not enemies. Another 

 chalcid is parasitic upon the so-called cheroot-weevil (Lasioderma 

 testaceum), and cigar merchants in India should learn to distinguish 

 between this miuute friend when flying about in the godown 



and the beetle 



which is the real 



author of the 



damage. The 



chalcid is of 



course beneficial.* 



As yet undeter- X3 



„ .-„.,., . . mined species of 



:TG. 47.— Chalcid parasitic ,, n \, , Fig. 48.— Perllampus sp., parasitic 



upon useful tachnid 

 flies (Bengal Duars)f ., 

 parasitic upon the larvse of Polygraphs, Pityogenes and Scolytus bark- 

 boring beetles in blue pine and deodar trees in the North-West 

 Himalayas. 



Mention has been made of the fact that some chalcids prey upon useful 

 parasitic Insects such as the great family of Tachnid two-winged flies 

 (Order Diptera). A species of Perilampus, Perilampus sp. (fig. 48) is 

 thought to be parasitic in this way upon one or both of the flies Trycolyga 

 bombycis and Masicera dasychirce which are parasitic upon the caterpillars 

 of the moth of a species of DasycJiira. The larvee of this latter Insect 

 commit serious defoliation in tea gardens and in sal forests in the 

 Bengal Duars and in Assam. This is an instance of a chalcid which 

 is a foe and not a friend to man, since its grubs live in and feed upon 

 the larva of a beneficial Insect. 



oa the cheroot- tn9 famil y « ave 

 weevil). Calcutta.) been found 



"Vide Circular on Agri. Econ. Ent. No. 12, the Cheroot- Weevil. Issued by Trustees, 

 Indian Museum, Calcutta, 1903. 



