( 357 ) 



CHAPTER XVI. 



PHYTOPHAGA {continued}— Family CERAMBYCIDAE (continued). 



LAMIINAE. 



Head in front vertical, or bent inwards well below the thorax ; last joint 

 of the palpi pointed at the end ; fore tibiae generally with a groove beneath. 



The number of the Lamiinae known as pests in the forests is not so 

 numerous as the preceding group. One or two of the genera, however, have 

 earned a considerable notoriety owing to the damage done by certain species. 



As a rule the larvae feed in the interior of the stems or roots of sappy 

 trees, or infest seedlings and young trees only, burrowing up the centre of 

 the stem or branch, and eating out a tunnel which may entirely hollow out 

 the stem, or branch, or root. This method of attack is easily distinguish- 

 able from that of the Cerambycinae, where the grubs feed in the bast and 

 outer sapwood, and only penetrate deeper into the wood to pupate. 



MONOHAMMUS. 



The following species is excessively common throughout the country. 

 Monohammus nivosus, Wh. 



REFEREN-CES.-Wh. Proc. Zool. Soc. p. 409 f 1858) ; Lefroy, Ind. Ins. Pests, p. 376 (1C09). 



Habitat.— Sub-Himalayan tract from Ganges to Nepal; Central and 

 Southern India; Burma; Ceylon. 



Tree Attacked.— Ak {Calotropis giganka). 



Beetle.— Short, stout. Rich brown in colour, the head 



and greater part of elytra silvery-white owing to the presence 



of a dense short pubescence of this 



Description. colour ; antennae yellowish : legs 



brown or covered with a yellowish 



grey pubescence ; under-surface clothed with a very short 



dense white or yellow pubescence. Head rather deeply cleft 



on front between insertion of antennae. Prothorax with sides 



produced medianly into a sharp point ; the disk raised in 



irregular tubercles with a transverse " collar " basally. Elytra 



considerably wider than prothorax at base, constricted to 



apex, apices separately rounded ; the brown spaces, not 



clothed with the white pubescence, with rough imbrications. 



Length 20 mm. to 26 mm. 



This beetle appears on the wing from March to May. The egg is laid 



on the stem of the tree, and the grub on hatching out 



Life History. bores into the stem and tunnels upwards in the centre. 



The grubs when about one-third grown will ahvays be 



found to have reached this position. Several grubs are at times to be found 



Fig. 243. 

 Mo}ioliam7nus nivosic 

 India. 



Wh. 



