Mr. Fletcher. 
Mr. Ramachandra 
Rao. 
Mr. Fletcher. 
Mr. Ramachandra 
Rao. 
Mr. Fletcher. 
74 PROCEEDINGS OF THE.SECOND ENTOMOLOGICAL MEETING 
this insect being the cause of the damage. This pest was also noticed 
in South Arcot and in one or two other localities. 
The eggs are laid when the pods are green, the larve feeding on the 
seeds and pupating inside the pods. The adults emerge through holes 
bitten in the pods. The adults generally leave the pods before the 
seeds ripen and long before the crop is harvested. This insect is para- 
sitized by another Chalcidid but I could not trace out the lifehistory 
of this. 
You say that “ the adults generaily leave the pods before the seeds 
ripen.” Would it be possible to collect the seeds a little earlier, immedi- 
ately they are ripe or even just before, so as to prevent the adults em- 
erging and damaging the next crop ? 
Unless the seeds are left to ripen on the plants until the normal time 
of collection, they would not sprout. 
Then I do not see that any control measure is applicable. So far as 
getting seeds 1s concerned it seems to be a case of half a loaf being better 
than no bread at all. You say that there is already a parasite on 
this Chaleidid. I think, when you first sent us specimens of this 
dhaincha pest for determination, that you sent in two species but both 
of these were phytophagous. I suppose there is no doubt that this 
‘parasite ”’ 1s really a parasite and not a second pest itself ? 
There is no doubt about this second Chalcidid being predaceous on 
the pest itself. 
Acatui (Sesbania grandiflora). 
Agathi is another Sesbania and its pests are very similar to those 
of dhaincha. It is grown fairly extensively, especially in Madras as a 
support for betel vines. 
On the leaves we get :— 
Platypria hystriz. 
Pericallia ricint. 
Prodenia litura. 
Laphygma exigua. 
Homoptera glaucinans. 
Catopsilia pyranthe. 
Terias hecabe. 
Platypria hystrix [‘ South Indian Insects,” p. 316, fig. 167] seems to 
occur on agathi chiefly in the Tanjore district. It is a minor pest, the 
larva mining the leaves. It occurs also on other plants (Lablab 
Erythrina, etc.) but is not of any real importance. 
