LEPIDOPTKRA. 399 



with tufts of wliit ish hair and with a pair of large tufts of darker 

 hair directed forward on either side of the head and a single 

 similar tuft directed backwards from the anal segment. Pupa 

 red-brown, in a slight cocoon interwoven with the larval hairs. 

 Life-cycle : egg, about 7 days ; larva, 30 days ; pupa, about 4 days. 



Foodplants. Castor, pomegranate, cotton (occasionally), red- 

 gram. 



Status. Occasionally a rather serious pest of castor. 



Control. Hand-picking of the caterpillars and moths. The 

 caterpillars art' gregarious and easily collected; their hairs are 

 somewhat poisonous and they should not be touched with the bar • 

 hand more than is necessary- 



1 ' PROCTIS SCINTILLANS, Wlk. 



Somena scintillans, Wlk.. Cat. VII, 1734. 



Euproctis scintillans, Hmpsn., Faun. Ind. Moths. I, 483 ; Lefroy, 

 Ind. Ins. Life, p 461. 



tag 



i Euproctis scintillans The outline figure shows the natural size. 



« Iriginal.) 



Distribution. — Throughout Southern India. 



Lifehistory. Similar to that of E. fraterna. Caterpillar rather 

 stout, dark coloured, with tufts of fine hairs, a pale-yellow stripe 

 down the back and on the first two abdominal segments (the two 

 segments between the legs and prolegs) a thick tuft of blackish or 

 reddish stout detachable hairs. 



Foodplants. Mango, gogu (Hibiscus cannabinus), sann-hemp, 

 linseed, castor, red-gram. 



Status. — A minor pest, rarely of much importance. 



Control. — As in E. fraterna. 



