26o 



FAMILY CHRYSOMELIDAE 



Relations to the 

 Forest. 



plantation on 5 April. Two days later I found a tree almost entirely- 

 defoliated by the beetles, who were in hundreds upon it. Hard by two 

 other trees had been completely stripped. Some of the beetles were coupling. 

 I could find no larvae on the trees. 



The fact that the beetle appears in the adult stage as early as the first 

 week in April in Assam points to the possibility of there being two broods 

 of the insect in the year in the hot and damper parts of its habitat. 



This chrysomelid must be looked upon as a dangerous defoliating pest 

 in the forest, and more especially in areas of young 

 growth. The insect (both grub and beetle) is of con- 

 siderable size and coarse, heavy build, and strips the 

 trees of foliage and the green cortex from the younger branches in a ruthless 

 manner which cannot but seriously affect the growth of the plants subjected 

 to the treatment. 



We know that the insect pupates in the soil, and the only possible 



method of combating a serious attack would be to 



Treatment. endeavour to kill off the insects whilst in the cocoon 



in the soil. In the case of serious infestations over 



considerable areas in valuable plantations and forests I should recommend 



the judicious use of fire as the only effective means of dealing with the 



insect. 



Blepharida. 

 Blepharida hirsuta, Jac. 



Habitat. — Poona, Bombay. 



Tree Attacked. — Boswellia scrrata. Bhamburda 

 Reserve, Poona. 



Beetle.— Elongate -elliptical. Pale canary -yellow, the elytra 

 and femora of hind legs darker and mottled with brownish mark- 

 ings. Head with vertex smooth and front 

 Description. covered with a fme silvery pubescence. 



Prothorax flat, wider than long, anterior 

 edge straight, sides rounded ; a small depression on either side of 

 disk almost glabrous, with a very fine and short silvery pubescence. 

 Elytra elongate, constricted to apex, moderately convex, strongly 

 striate-punctate. Under-surface yellowish brown, clothed with a 

 fine short silvery pubescence. Femora of hind legs much thickened, 

 the legs rather long. Length, 12 mm. 



In company with Mr. R. Wroughton, formerly Inspector - General of 



Forests, I took several specimens of this weevil defoliating 



Life History. the Boswcllici scrrata in the Bhamburda Reserve near 



Poona on 2 August 1901. The insect was in company 



with the Flaltica? sp. described below, the latter being by far the more 



numerous of the two present. A serious amount of defoliation had taken 



place under the attacks of the beetles. 



Fig. 184. 



Blcpli a rida h irsii ta. 



Jac. Poona. 



