444 



IH INDIAN INSECTS, ETC 



Foodplants. — Bottle-Gourd (Lagenaria vulgaris), Dolichos lab-lab, 

 and various other plants. 



Status. -A minor pest of Bottle-Gourd and Lab-lab. 



Control. Spraying in small areas. Remedial measures are 

 rarely necessary. 



PLATYPTILIA PISILLIDACTYLA. Wlk. 

 Oxypt ilus pusillidactylus, Wlk., Cat. XXX, 933 (1864). 

 Platyptilia pusiUidactyla, Fletcher. Spol. Zeyl.. VI, 13, t. A, f. 2. t. 

 E, ff. 5, 6. 



M. — Platyptilia pusiUidactyla. The small figure shows the 

 .1 size. (Original.) 



Distribution. — Throughout Southern India to about 5. 000 feet. 



Lifehistory. -The very pale greenish-yellow eggs are laid singly 

 on terminal shoots of the flower-bud, into which the caterpillar 

 bores and lives. The caterpillar is about 5 mm. long, stout, pale 

 yellow and without hairs. The pale-yellow pupa is found in a 

 regular cocoon formed of bits of vegetable matter spun together 

 with silk and placed in .1 cavity gnawed into the side of the fruit- 

 receptacle. 



Foodplant. Lantana. 



Status. — Beneficial in Districts invaded by Lantana. Where 

 attacked by this caterpillar bunches of fruit contain only a few 

 shrivelled fruits instead of a dozen or more plump ones. This 

 little moth is therefore a factor of some importance in checking 

 the spread of Lantana through the dispersal of the seeds by 

 Birds. 



EXELASTIS ATO.MOSA. Wlsm. 



Aciptilia atomosa, Wlsm., P.Z.S. (1885), 885. 



Exelastis atomosa, Meyr., B.J., XVII, 730; Lefroy, Ent. Mem. 

 Dept. Agri., hid.. I. 210, ff. 67. 68 ; Ind. Ins. Life, pp. 527 528, t. 53. 



(See Plate XXXYliu 

 Distribution.— Throughout the Plains of Southern India. 



