376 SOME SOUTH INDIAN INSECTS, ETC. 



Distribution. — Throughout the Plains of Southern India. 



/ '.it, history. — Length of full-grown larva about 40 mm.; colour 

 purplish-brown with three- Longitudinal rows of white spots of 

 which the central ones are the largest, and orange black-spotted 

 sub-dorsal patches on the three anterior and posterior segments. 

 The caterpillar is often seen exposed on the leaves in the early 

 morning, retreating into the shelter of the leaf-sheaths later on. 



Foodplants. Gloriosa superba, Amaryllis, and many liliaceous 

 plants. 



Status. Scarcely a pest but often does unsightly damage to 

 ornamental lilies. 



Control. — Easily hand-picked in the early morning. 



CIRPHIS UNIPUNCTA, Haw. (PLATE XVIII.) 



Noctua unipuncta, Haworth, Lep. Brit., p. 174 (1809). 

 Cirphis unipuncta, Hmpsn., Faun. [nd. Moths, II, 275-276, Cat. 

 Phal., V, 547 549, B.J., XVII, 464; Lefroy, Ent. Mem. Dept. Agri., 



Ind., I. 175. [nd. Ins. Pests, p. 138, f. 1 56, Ind. Ins. Life, p. 446. 



Distribution. — Throughout Southern India. In October and 

 November. 



Lifehistory. — The rounded, greenish-white eggs are laid in 

 batches, usually in two parallel rows, and thrust into the shelter of 

 a leaf-sheath, curled leaf, etc. The full-grown larva is about 35 — 40 

 mm. long, moderately stout, smooth, dull-greenish or purplish with 

 a broad longitudinal paler stripe along the side and a narrower 

 lighter stripe below the spiracles ; head pale yellow-brown, ventral 

 surface and legs pale-greenish, prolegs with a plate above each 

 sucker-foot. Pupa pale-brown, in an oval cocoon of earth in the 

 soil. 



Foodplants. — Cholam, as a rule. Sometimes on rice, mai. 



Status.- A minor pest ol cholam, the larva.' burrowing into the 

 central shoots. 



( on trol. 



Remarks. This is the insect usually called the "Army worm" 

 bei ause the caterpillars appear sometime- in immense swarms 

 which invade cultivated ground and devour the crop- wholesale. 

 In such cases cultivated tracts may be protected by narrow but 

 steep-sided trenches. 



PER1GEA CAPENSIS, Gn. 



Apamea capensis, Guenee, Noct., 1. 213 (1852). 

 Euplexia conducta, Hmpsn., Faun. Ind. Moth-. II. 2t 1 ; Lefroy, Ind. 

 Ins. Life, 11. 447. 



