HYMENOPTERA. 275 



Distribution. Probably throughout Southern India. (Nol noted 

 from Bellary or Malabar.) 



Lifehistory. Nest in the ground. 



Food. Sometimes found attacking young cotton seedlings and 

 buds of hollyhock, brinjal, crotons, ailanthus, eti 



St, ttus. May do damage, even to killing the plant, by biting the 

 tender buds and shoots and growing the leaves. 



Control. (1) Killing the nest where found. 

 (2) Ringing of plants with ashes or painting' crude oil emulsion 

 on to the stem or branches attacked. 



MONOMORIUM GRACILLIMUM, Sin. 



Myrmica gracillima, Smith, J. Linn. Soc, VI, 34 (1861). 

 Monomorium gracillimum, Bingham, Faun. Ind. Hym., II. 210- 211. 



11.;. — Monomorium gracillimum , worker. The bows 



. 



Distribution. Coimbatore. Probably widely distributed in 

 Southern India. 



Lifehistory. Nest in the ground, in cracks of walls, etc. 

 Food. A scavenger oi dead insects, feeding also on provisions 

 such a- sugar, bread, ghi, vegetable oils. 



St, tins. A common pest of store-rooms and house-. 



[) Di struct ion of the nest if it can be found. 

 121 Laying down baits (e.g., a sponge soaked in sugar and 

 periodically dropping it in hot water), or permanent poisoned baits 

 which the ants wdl carry off to their nests and leed to their young. 

 Remarks. Bingham (I.e.) states that gracillimum is confined to 

 ' presented in India by mayri, Forel, but Coimbatore 



specimens appear to be gracillimum 

 18-A 



