510 



FAMILY SCOLYTIDAE 



On one occasion twenty bark- and wood-beetles {PulygrapJiits, Scolytus, 

 and CrossotarsHs) were placed in a small box with four of these clerids. 

 On inspection three and a half hours later all the bark-beetles had 

 been consumed, only the outer hard chitinous shells and the wings 

 being left. 



The habits and life history of this valuable ally of the forester have 

 been dealt with fully in Departmental Notes (Clems sp., p. 213), to which 

 reference should be made for further details. 



I am of opinion that it may prove possible to extend the range of 

 usefulness of this insect by introducing it into areas where it does not at 

 present exist. A few years ago Mr. Ernest Green imported the European 

 clerid Clems foruiicarius into Ceylon to make an attempt to cope with 

 bark-beetles. It is probable that the Himalayan Thanasimus, which is 

 larger and appears to be a hardy and aggressive species, and thus suitable 

 for experiment, would fulfil the desired object better. 



Hypophloeus flavipennis, Mots, (see p. 236). — The beetle feeds on the 

 sap of the tree. Its grubs are predaceous or semi-predaceous on those 

 of Polygraphias major and PolygrapJiiis piiii beetles and other bark-borers — 

 Tomicns, Pityogencs, and Scolytus. 



Life History. — This insect is excessively common in the North-West 

 Himalaya, being found in abundance in the tunnels of many of the bark- 

 borers infesting the blue pine, spruce, deodar, and chilgoza pine {Pinus 

 <yerardiana). I have taken the beetle itself at the beginning of May 

 ovipositing in the egg-tunnels of Polygraphus major. In June I took it 

 here and in tunnels of Polygraphus pini in the main stem of the tree and 

 in spruce. In the third week of September I took a generation of the 

 beetles on the wing, and on 15 December I again found the insect in abund- 

 ance in the tunnels of Polygraphus and Tomicns, in company with Niponius 

 canalicollis. The insect would thus appear to hibernate in the imago state. 

 The beetles oviposit in the tunnels of the bark-borers, and probably feed 

 to a certain extent on the sap oozing from the walls of their galleries. 

 The grubs to a certain extent undoubtedly prey upon those of the bark- 

 borers. It is not improbable that in the absence of the latter, or when 

 they are not sufficiently plentiful, they may feed upon decaying cambium 

 and bark materials. 



Polygraphus trenchi, Slebbing. 



References.— Stebbing, Ind. For. Mem. Zool. Ser. i, pt. i, p. 9 ; id. Chilgoza Bark-bor. Beetle 

 of Zhob, For. Bull. 3, p. g (1905). 



Habitat. — Zhob, Dehra Ismail Khan (Suliman Mountains). 



Tree Attacked. — Chilgoza Pine {Pinus gerardiana). Shinghur, Zhob 

 (G. Chevenix-Trench), Takht-i-Suliman. 



