246 INSECTS ABROAD. 



this country, the larva merely boring into old posts, rails, and 

 other dead timber. But in those parts of the world where 

 coffee is grown, one of the Wasp Beetles becomes an absolute 

 plague, under the name of " The Borer." 



The female gnaws a small hole into the tree, very much like 

 the perforation of a gimlet, and there places her eggs. As soon as 

 they are hatched, the larv^ begin to eat their way through the 

 tree, and often drive so many tunnels, upwards and downwards, 

 that the tree dies. Mr. A. E. W. Lascelles, managing director 

 of the Moyan Coffee Company, makes the following remarks in 

 a little work on coffee-plantations : — 



"The part of the tree above their entrance generally gives 

 at once unmistakable indications of their presence; and if 

 these are noticed, and the tree cut off at the place where 

 the perforation is seen, the grub will be found inside and the 

 lower portion of the tree be saved, and ultimately send out a 

 sucker to supply the place of the lost stem. But it frequently 

 occurs that large trees with heavy crops on them fall victims to 

 this pest, and then it becomes necessary to root up the old tree 

 and plant a fresh seedling in its place. 



"The Beetles may be observed flying about in numbers in 

 the evenings after rain in March, April, and May ; and if bright 

 fires of weeds, grass, &c. are lighted on the various roads and 

 other vacant places on the estates, they will be attracted by the. 

 blaze and light, and fly into the fires. This method has been 

 found very efficacious, and is neither expensive nor difficult of 

 execution. 



" It may be remembered that the Borer is most abundant in 

 rather dry localities, and is not so troublesome in virgin forest 

 land as in what has been already described as ' bamboo ' land." 



This "bamboo" land, which is so favourable to the Borer, is 

 described as gentle undulating slopes, sparsely covered with 

 large trees and bamboo thickets ; the soil being heavy, deep, 

 hard, and full of weeds. When properly cleared, this land suits 

 the coffee tree admirably, but unfortunately it suits the destroyer 

 as well as the tree. 



The Sternacanthides are here represented by one species ; 

 namely, Lophonocerus harhicor/iis. The name Sternacanthides is 

 Greek, signifying " thorny-breast," and, as the reader will see 



