342 



SOME SOUTH INDIAN INSECTS. ETC. 



Distribution. Throughout Southern India, all the year round. 



Lifehistory. — Eggs laid in grain in which the grub passes its 

 whole existence pupating inside and only emerging as a perfect 

 beetle. About six broods in the year. 



Foodplant- — Stored grain of nearly all descriptions. Parti- 

 cularly wheat, paddy, et< Oci isionally found in the field on ripe 

 ear-heads. 



Status. ^A major pest causing great damage and loss. 



Control. Fumigation of affected grain. Thorough drying of 

 grain before storage and thereafter storing in insect-proof recep- 

 tacles. Parasitized to some extent by a small metallic-green 

 Chalcid. 



COSMOPOLITES SORDIDUS, Germar. 

 sordidus, Germ. 



101. Cosmopolites sordidus, beetle and side-view of head. The small 

 the natural size. (( >rigina I. 



