63 



and adults may be bred out during the greater part of the year. 

 Hypatima (Blastobasis) pulverea, Meyr., is common in forests and 

 resembles E. amabilis in habits. The larvae, however, are not depen- 

 dent upon living lac, since they have been found three months after 

 the lac has been removed from the trees. Lepidopterous enemies of 

 minor importance are Euble7nma cretacea, Hmp., E. coccidiphaga, 

 Hmp., Blastobasis thelymorpha, Meyr., Tischeria ptarmica, Mejrr., 

 and Stathmopoda basiplectra, Meyr. 



Many Hymenopterous parasites and hyper-parasites have been 

 reared from T. lacca. Lissencyrlus troupi, Cam., is abundant in the 

 Siwalik and Bhandara forests. The eggs are deposited within the 

 young Tachardia, which, however, are not killed until in a late stage 

 of development. Pupation occurs within the host. Adults emerge 

 throughout the year, but the hot weather brood is most severely 

 attacked. Another Chalcid, Brasema annulicaudis. Cam., was bred 

 from lac grown on Butea frondosa. It may possibly be a parasite of 



E. amabUis or Hypatima pulverea and therefore a hyperparasite of 

 T. lacca. The same statement also applies to Chalcis tachardiae, Cam. 

 Pteromalus sp., Cyclopleura claripennis, Cam., Eurytoma pallidiscapus, 

 Cam., Copidosoma ? clavicornis, Cam., and Hadrothrix purpurea, Cam., 

 are also recorded parasites. Among the beetle enemies are the Myceto- 

 phagid, Berginus mdindroni, Grouv., abundant in the United and 

 Central Provinces, devouring both the lac and the scales, the Cucujid, 

 Silvanopsis iyeri, Grouv., Cathartus advena, Wit., Triboliumferrugineum, 



F. (feeding on the lac only), Brachytarsus sp., and a Cerambycid. 



As the result of investigations, the authors have been led to the 

 conclusion that no appreciable improvement in lac cultivation can be 

 obtained until exhaustive experiments have been conducted with 

 reference to the elimination of the insect enemies of Tachardia. 

 Experiments have indicated that the pests cannot be eradicated by a 

 complete removal of the lac from the trees after swarming. Evidence 

 shows that many parasites emerge prior to swarming. Complete 

 removal of the lac will, however, in all probability reduce the aggregate 

 of the parasites. The method of scraping the lac from the trees and 

 storing it in huts close by does not aid in reducing the number of 

 parasites. Whether the parasites and predaceous enemies are able 

 or not to feed on other Coccidae in the absence of Tachardia is un- 

 known. The problem is one that should be kept in view in attempting 

 to control the natural enemies of the lac insect. 



Andrews (E. A.). Notes on insect pests of green manures and shade 

 trees. Part I. — QtrJy. Jl. Sclent. Dept. Ind. Tea Assoc., Calcutta, 

 Partiii, 1915, pp. 57-62. 



The following are injurious to green manure crops and shade trees 

 in the tea-gardens of North-East India :— The blister beetle, Cantharis 

 hirticornis, Haag, is very common in Assam, where it does a great 

 deal of damage in vegetable gardens. The life-history of this beetle 

 has not been worked out, but it is probably beneficial in its young 

 stages, for the larvae of a closely allied species feed on the egg-masses 

 of a grasshopper. C. hirticornis is recorded from Assam as eating the 

 foliage of young plants of Sesbania acideafa (dhaincha). Catching 

 wdth small nets is the best remedy. Lead arsenate may be sprayed 



