480 



SOME SOUTH INDIAN INSECTS. ETC. 



as they do not affect the exposed parts of the plant and readily 

 drop to the ground when disturbed. The bugs especially attack 

 the ripening grain, sucking the milky juice, so rhat the ears turn 

 wholly or partly white, no grain being matured. 



FoodpLmts.— Paddy and wild gr ass - - rule. Occasionally on 

 cholam, maize, ragi {Eleusine coracana). 



Status. — A serious pest of paddy, especially on the West ( 

 Control. — Collection in hand-nets has been found the most 

 efficient method. 



RIPTORTCS PEDESTRIS. Fb. 



Gerris pedestris, Fab. Syst. Ent. J2J JJ$ - 



Riptortus pfdestris. Distant. Faun. Ind. Rhyn.. 1. 414. !. 244. 



) < 



FlC. 364. — Hiptor! 



natural size. 'Original.' 





Distribution. -Throughout the Plains of Southern India. 



Lifehistory. — The oval, dark-brown, seed-like eggs are laid singly, 

 and apparently only a small numbt J) are deposited by one 



bug. The newly-hatched nymph is about 2'75 mm. long and looks 

 like a small red ant. In the second instar it is about 4 mm. long, 

 red-brown in colour and in general appearance lik. .-ant 



ophylla smaragdina). In the third instar it is about 6'5 mm. long 

 and of a uniform dark colour, as it is in the fourth and fifth instars 

 when it measures respectively 75 and II mm. in length. The 

 nymph in the later stages is very active and hides itself away, so 

 that it is little noticed. Life-cycle : egg. 6 days : nymph 

 [T.V.R.] 



