408 



: SOUTH INDIAN !.\SF.( TS, ET< . 



Control. — Spraying with Lead Arsenate or similar poison and 

 hand-picking of small trees. It must be noted, however, that the 



caterpillars arc often very difficult to see especially when 

 on the bare twigs after having stripped all the leaves. 



xoroDoxi'i! ).i:. 



STAUROP1 S U.'l ERNUS, Wlk. 

 Statiropits alternus, Wlk., Cat. V, 1020 ; Hmpsn., Faun. End. Moths, 

 I, 149-150, f. 91 ; Lefroy, Ind. Ins. Life, p. 472. f. 321. 



!79. — Stauropus alternus, 

 larva. (Original.) 



1 , 180. Stauropus alternus, mal< 



moth. 



Distribution.- Coimbatore, Ganjam. Probably throughout South- 

 ern India. 



Lifehistory. Full-grown caterpillar about 40 mm. long, with 

 extraordinarily dilated ami flattened posterior extremit> which is 

 held over the back when alarmed, the anal claspi reduced 



to two slender filaments ; a row of paired sharp triangular humps 

 down the back ; second and third pairs ol thoracic legs very long ; 

 colour grey-brown mottled with darker. This caterpillar cannot 

 be mistaken for anything else when once seen. The young 

 caterpillar mimicks an ant ; the full-grown one looks not unlike a 

 spider when alarmed. The dark red-brown pupa is formed in a 

 slight cocoon spun amongst leaves, etc. 



Foodplants.- Tamarind, Tur (Cajanus indiens), Trewia nudifolia, 



Status. — Rather a scarce insect a- a rule, but has once been 

 I ■ idic pesl 'it tea in Ceylon. 



