PROCEEDINGS OF THE SECOND ENTOMOLOGICAL MEETING et 
Platypria hystrix (“South Indian Insects,” p. 316, fig. 167] 
and the very similar P. echidna both occur commonly on the leaves 
and do a little damage at times. I have seen the leaves riddled with 
holes produced by these species but one generally only finds this in odd 
patches hére and there and Platypria are not serious pests. 
Episomus lacerta |“ South Indian Insects,” pp. 327-328, fig. 184] 
occurs in small numbers on the leaves. I have found it in Coorg on 
Erythrina leaves at Pollibetta and Mercara, but it 1s quite a minor pest. 
Acherontia lachesis occurs commonly on Erythrina and by its large 
size the caterpillar [ “South Indian Insects,” p. 131, fig. 59] may do 
considerable damage, one caterpillar being quite capable of defoliating 
a small branch. The caterpillars may be handpicked, although they 
are not always very easy to see. 
Orgyia postica [‘‘ South Indian Insects ” pp. 395-396, fig. 263] occurs 
fairly common as a caterpillar on Hrythrina leaves but is scarcely a pest. 
Aularches miliaris [ South Indian Insects, p. 526, fig. 418] is some- 
times common on Hrythrina and is a sporadic minor pest. 
Boring in the shoots of Erythrina we find :— 
Terastia meticulosalis 
A Trypaneid fly. 
Terastia meticulosalis [** South Indian Insects”, p. 438, fig. 315] is 
sometimes a serious pest, especially of Hrythrina indica, the larva boring 
in the young shoots so that all the new growth may be killed back. The 
attacked shoots are fairly evident and may be cut back and the cater- 
pillar destroyed. 
In Coorg I have found a Trypaneid fly breeding in the shoots, but it 
is not a pest and at present we know very little about it. 
Under the heading of ‘“‘ Boring Insects” we may include Sthenias 
grisator [“ South Indian Insects”, p. 326, fig. 182], which is quite a 
serious pest of Hrythrina when grown as a shade-tree amongst coffee. 
The adult beetles have the curious habit of girdling branches, and even 
main stems in the case of young trees. A groove about a quarter of an 
inch wide is eaten right through the bark all around the branch which 
may be as much as three inches in diameter, and the portion above 
the girdling dies back in consequence. The eggs are thrust into this 
girdled branch and according to my observations they are generally, or 
at least very frequently, placed just under the bark where it is cut by the 
girdling. The larvee feed in the girdled branch, which remains on the 
tree for some time but drops off sooner or later, and pupation takes 
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