276 



SOME SOUTH INDIAN' INSECTS, ETC. 

 CECOPHYLLA SMARAGDINA, Fb. 



Formica smaragdina, Fabr., Syst. Ent., p. 828 (1775). 



\phylla smaragdina, Bingham, Faun. Ind. Ilym,, II, 311 ; Lefroy, 

 hul. Ins. Life, p. 230, ff. 133—135 ; Dutt, Ent. Mem. Dept., B Agri., l Ind., 

 W, 254—260, ff. 21-22. 



Fig. lit. — (Ecophylla smarag- 

 dina, worker. The smaller 

 figure shows the natui 

 (( (riginal.) 



Fig. 115. — Silken chamber spun 

 ind branch by CE. smaragdina. 

 Vftei Lefroy). 



Distribution. -Throughout Southern India up to about 5,000 feet, 

 occurring most abundantly in regions of heavy rainfall. 



Lifehistory. Forms a nest in trees composed of leaves spun 

 together by silken threads excreted by the larvae which are held 

 in the jaws of the worker ants and applied to the situations in 

 which the silk is required. Besides the main nest there are usually 

 111. 1 in subsidiary chambers of spun leaves containing plantsucking 

 insects which are tended and defended by the ants. The males 

 and females of this ant are green, the workers orange-red. 



Food. -Caterpillars, beetles. Hies, ants. etc. 



Stattts.- Beneficial to some extent as predators on small insects 

 of various sorts but harmful ,1- protei tors ol noxious Scale-insects, 

 etc.. which are not only tended but deliberately introduced on to 



new plants by the ants. In mango gardens also these ants may 



