COLEOPTERA. 



283 



re perhaps laid about September, the beetles emerging about 

 June in the following year. 



Foodplant. Beetle on the cars of cholam and cumbu, tenai and 

 ragi, devouring pollen ol ear-heads in flower and milk of develop- 

 ing grains. In the case of cholam, the beetles may enter the ear- 

 head to the number of a dozen or more in one head and destroy the 

 grains, filling the ear-head with excrement. 

 Status. A local pest of some importa 

 Control. -Collection of the beetles bj hand-nets. 



OXYCETONIA VERSICOLOR, Fb. 



mia versicolor, Fab., Syst Ent., p. 51 (1775)- 

 Oxycctonia versicolor, Lefroy, bid. Ins. Life. p. 25S (Glvcyphaiia) 



Arrow. Faun. Ind. Ceton, pp. 164 166, ff. 35-36. 



I 1... l; nia versicolor. The small outlii ows the natural 



inal.) 



Distribution. — Bangalore, Bellary, Coimbatore, Madras. P 

 bly throughout Southern India. May to October. 



Lit, history. Not known. 



Foodplants. The beetle feeds on flowers and tender grains of 

 CUmbu, cholam, tenai and other cereals. Sometimes on flowers of 

 other crop and garden-plants, such as groundnut and Cosmos. 



Status. Scarcelj a serious pest as a rule. 



Control. — Collection of the beetle- by hand and in hand-nets. 



