568 FAMILY SCOLYTIDAE 



CHAPTER XXL 



RHYNCHOPHORA (continued)— Family SCOLYTIDAE {continued). 



Tribe SCOLYTINAE (ECCOPTOGASTRINAE). 

 Tibiae with the outer edge smooth ; front tibiae lengthened out on outer 

 edge with a one- or two-toothed hook. Abdomen flexed upwards. 



The tribe includes the important genus Eccoptogaster, better known 

 as Scolytits. The genus contains three hidian species which are serious 

 pests of the deodar. 



SCOLYTUS. 



Scolytus (Eccoptogaster) major, Stabbing. 



References.— Stebbing, Ind. For. Mem, Zool. Ser. vol. i, pt. ii, p. 21 ; id. Bark-bor. Beet. Attack, Simla 

 Catch. Area, For. Bull. no. 2 (1908); Scolytus sp. Ind. For. vol. xxvi, p. 560; vol. xxvii, pp. 26, 132, 

 231, 344 ; Depart. Notes, vol. i, pp. 45, 203. 



Habitat. — Throughout deodar forests of North-West Himalaya. 

 Tree Attacked. — Deodar {Ccdnis deodara). North-West Himalaya. 



Beetle.— Black, shining ; elytra dark red-brown or black. Front of head flat, impressed 

 over mouth ; a faint median elevate longitudinal line on front which does not reach the 

 mouth or verte.x, bounded on either side by an area very finely 

 Description. longitudinally striate ; rest punctate, punctures finer on vertex, a 



shallow depression medianly on vertex just above basal margin. 

 Piothorax constricted and impressed on anterior lateral margin ; very smooth and shining 

 except for a rather thickly punctate and slightly rugose area behind anterior margin, this 

 punctured area stretching down diagonally on either side and being intercepted medianly by a 

 narrow longitudinal smooth space, a prolongation from the smooth area on disk. The whole 

 of the latter finely pitted, the punctiu-es rather scattered and more abundant laterally ; a few 

 longish scattered hairs laterally in anterior portion. Elytra impressed medianly at base, 

 shghtly narrowed behind, the outer margins of apical fourth finely serrate, apices separately 

 rounded ; striate-punctate, the striae not prominent and punctures shallow, not very conspicuous 

 and confluent at apices ; covered with irregular scattered hairs, most abundant laterally. 

 Abdomen with anterior margin of first segment prominent and produced forwards and thickened, 

 rugose, shining, second segment concave, third and fouitli with a small lateral tubercle on 

 posterior margin, fifth flat, apical edge incurved medianly. Legs brown to blackish. Antennae 

 and tarsi rufous brown. Length, 4.25 mm. to 4.5 mm. PI. Ivii, figs, c i, c, d, shows the doisal 

 and side view of the beetle. 



Egg. — The egg is spherical in shape, yellow in colour, and shining. It is very small, 

 being about o.S mm. in diameter. 



Larva. — The larva is small, curved, legless, and white in colour. It is largest across at 

 the head end. When full-grown it is from J to i in. long. On first hatching out the grub 

 is a minute white dot. The curved shape is, however, easily recognizable by the time it has bored 

 about i in. away from the egg gallery. The larva natural size and enlarged is shown in figure. 



Pupa. — The pupa is white and has the general shape of the beetle ; but all the parts are 

 soft, the legs, antennae, and wings being held pressed against the breast as shown in figure. 

 Length, 4 mm. 



The immature beetle when it is in the resting stage is light yellow and then light brown, 

 gradually darkening to black as the outer parts harden. 



