FAMILY C V KC U LION I DAI-: 



399 



This small, white, striking-lookin;;- weevil was b}' far the commonest 

 insect present in the Mount Stuart forests in the 



Life History. Anamalai Hills towards the end of July 1902, and was 



also taken in considerable numbers in the Walayan 

 Forest near Coimbatore at the commencement of August 1902. The mature 

 insect feeds on the teak leaves, and 

 when it is present in the numbers 

 observable in 1902 the defoliation com- 

 mitted is heavy. In eating the leaf 

 the beetle leaves untouched the main 

 veins, and thus, to some extent, its 

 attack resembles that of the cater- 

 pillar of the moth //3'(^/a'n/)//t'ri;, It is 

 distinguishable, however, owing to the 

 fact that the weevil does not eat the 

 parenchyma of the leaf clean up to 

 the \ein, but leaves small patches of 

 unconsumed tissue here and there, 

 as shown in the drawing made in the 

 forest from a defoliated leaf. Short 

 pieces of the side veins are also left 

 unconsumed by the beetle. The 

 edges of places eaten out of the leaf 

 are ragged and not clean-cut, as is 

 usualh' the case with parts of leaves 

 eaten by caterpillars. Numbers of 

 lea\'es on the trees were found in the 

 condition shown in the drawing. 



The defoliation committed by 



this little weevil 



Relations to the ■ ^r „ ^ .• ^ 



^ , is 01 a serious 



Forest. 



nature, owing to 

 the fact that the teak-trees are sub- 

 ject both before and after the time 

 of appearance of the insect to the 

 attacks of the two defoliating cater- 

 pillars, Hyhlwa pitcra and Pyraitsta 

 machcrvalis. 



The Walayan Forest is said to 

 be infested by both these cater- 

 pillars, often being heaxil}- defo- 

 liated in the spring, and again 

 in September. Consequently the 



Flc. 269. 



Teak-leaf defoliated by Myi/oie>'i/s 



viridafius, Fabr. Coinibatoie, 



Madras. (E. P. S.) 



