The Cane Grubs of Australia. 11 



from the red volcanic canefields at Meringa where emergence occurred 

 on December 12th ; by the end of December beetles were comparatively 

 few, and had practically disappeared by the middle of January. In this 

 season the species remained an abnormal period in the ground before 

 emerging ; thus by September 30th adults were found plentifully in their 

 pupal cells in the red volcanic soils, but emergence in this locality was 

 not until December 4th, or over nine weeks from the date of trans- 

 formation ; this was no doubt due to the unusual season, the warm 

 months of July and August causing the early transformation to the pupa 

 and adult, while the absence of rain prevented emergence (the first rain 

 fell on November 17th). It would seem that no emergence can happen 

 until rain has moistened the soil. 



The greatest length of life, adults from forest confined with food, 

 was 30 days, and thus a month is the general limit. Our results show 

 that the female lives longer than the male. 



In Bulletin No. 2, p. 33, it is stated — "No food is eaten during the 

 day, the beetles remaining hanging to the hidden and protected sides of 

 the leaves." Feeding may continue into the morning up to 10 o'clock, 

 and in the latter part of the afternoon especially if the day is cloudy. 

 Among farmers and other residents one often hears the remark that the 

 beetles are best collected in the early hours after daybreak, as later on 

 they are not to be found ; about daybreak the beetles leave their exposed 

 positions and shelter under the leaves, or if the tree be mthout much 

 shelter, they may fly to some thickly foliaged tree where they may be 

 found in clusters in well-sheltered positions ; sometimes, however, they 

 remain feeding until the heat of the morning affects them, and in such a 

 case if the feeding-tree be nearly bare they find such shelter as there is, 

 under the branches for example. 



Excessive heat may affect the beetles; during the last few days of 

 December, 1914, and first few days of January, 1915, an extreme heat- 

 wave prevailed, the shade temperature reaching as high as 103° Fahr. ; 

 in the middle of the day numbers of beetles were observed flying in the 

 fore.st ; being watched, they were found to alight on the trunks of the 

 larger trees, on the side sheltered from the sun; scores were seen on a 

 single tree, lining the trunk for from 3 to 50 feet. 



Cane leaves are occasionally eaten but not to any extent. 



LEPIDIOTA Sp. No. 683. 



The Larva. 



This species has been confused with frenchi in Bulletin No. 2; the 

 Cooktown supposed Stage I. and II. frcncJii belong to this species; unfor- 

 tunately the Stage III. larvce from the same locality had been discarded 

 and could not be re-identified. 



Stage I. at Cooktown February 2nd, 28th ; Stage II. February 8th, 

 March 1st. At Gordonvale Stage II. has been taken on the following 

 dates:— April 7th, 13th. 28th, May 7th, 9th, 18th, August 19th. Stage 

 III. in November and December were in their first year's development, 

 moulting from Stage II. in October ; like frenchi the species has a two- 

 year life cycle. 



The larvae are not plentiful ; during the past sixteen months 

 collecting by following ploughs has resulted as follows: — September 1, 



