PROCEEDINGS OF THE THIUD ENTOMOLOGICAL MEETING 911 



The following notes form a summary of the observations I have been 

 able to make on the life-history and habits of this insect in South 

 India. 



Dlslribii(io)i. I have noted this insect in Coimbatore, tlie Mysore 

 uplands, the Bababudins and on the Western Ghats, commoiJy in 

 summer. Besides Trewia I have found this insect occasionally breeding 

 on Kigelia pinnala in company with another conspicuous bug, Catacan- 

 this i'Dcarnattis, Dr., in the Western ghats and on the Mysore uplands. 



Life-hislory. As is utual with most bugs, the method of coupling is 

 in opposition. The sexes remain united for a long time — even as long 

 as 36 hours sometimes — and' numerous couples are seen in May- Jime. 

 which appears to be the breeding season. 



■ Egg. Egg-laying does not occur soon after the sexes separate but 

 it generally takes place from two to four da3's afterwards ; at any rate, 

 this was the case in captivity. The eggs are generally laid on the lower 

 surface of tender leaves, though they are also found at times deposited 

 on fruit clusters. In captivity the act of egg-laying was never noticed 

 during the day time. The eggs are laid in groups, the number in each 

 group varying from 10 to as many as 150. The eggs in each groujJ are 

 closely packed together in parallel rows and each of them is cemented to 

 the plant surface. In shape each egg is cylindiical and attached to 

 the plant surface by one of the poles of the cylinder ; the height of the 

 egg is 1-5 mm. while each measures 0-875 mm. across transversely. The- 

 egg surface is smooth and, unlike that of many other Pentatonjids, tiere 

 is no separately marked lid or sculptured operculum provided ; but the 

 region of the egg cap can be made out as a transparent shining circular 

 area on the top pole of the egg. In colour the just-laid egg-cUister is 

 glistening yellow-white ; especially the upper pole through which the 

 future larva emerges is very glossy ; this colour gradually changes to 

 a deep orange as the hatching time approaches. At this latter stage 

 the pink eyes of the future nymph are seen through the transparent 

 egg-shell as t.wo bright spots. 



This insect is one of the few and interesting exanip'es of insects exhi- 

 biting what may be called ' parental care.' The mother-bug sits on the 

 eggmass and continues to do so from the time the eggs are deposited 

 until after they hatch out into young ones. In some cases I have observed 

 the mother remain in the same position some time even after all the young 

 larvae have moved away from beneath her body. All this time the parent 

 insect does not take any food and while in this posture the slightest 

 disturbance makes it vibrate the antemiae in a characteristic manner as 

 though in defence, and bring its body closer to that side of the eggmass 



VOL. HI „ 



