l^ The Cane Grubs of Australia. 



The only food plants known are the bloodwood (Eucalyptus sp.) 

 and iMoreton Ba}' ash {Eucalyptus te&selaris) . The beetles do not remain 

 on the feeding-trees during the day ; probably they re-enter the soil, and 

 in this habit are followed, by rothei and others ; in fact, of the species of 

 Lepidiota the only one to remain among the foliage in the day time is 

 alhohirta. 



LEPIDIOTA ROTHEI Blackburn. 



The Larva. 



Stage I. has been recorded on March 28th; Stage II. on April 7th, 

 13th ; May 7th, 9th, June 9th. In October, 1914. and less so in September 

 and November Stage III. larva? were plentiful, but in the following 

 season were comparatively scarce ; in October, 1914, 328 larvae were taken 

 from one field, the crop cane and weeds, the soil verging from yellowish 

 loam to volcanic. Omitting these larva? the numbers from volcanic and 

 loam soils are 19 and 209 respectively, the species being very uncommon 

 in true volcanic soils. Full-grovrn Stage III. larvae remaining after the 

 middle of December invariably proved to be attacked by a Dipterous 

 parasite. The life cycle lasts one year. 



The Pupa. 



In confinement, the larva pupated during the latter half of 

 November and first half of December. In the fields two pupae were 

 found on November 26th. The pupal stage is of about 24 days' duration. 



The Adult. 



The first adult emerged from the pupa in the first week of December. 

 In 1914-5 season, the first emergence took place on December 28th, the 

 beetles swarming plentifully on that date and for several days after- 

 wards; in the 1915-6 season, a single beetle was noticed on December 

 11th, and a general emergence occurred on December 19th. The species 

 swarms around shrubs or even tall trees ; when swarming in com])any 

 with frencM they were not found mating among the cane but on low 

 trees in the adjoining forest. 



LEPIDIOTA Sp. No. 215. 



The Larva. 



Stage II. has been found on the following dates: — April 30th, 

 September 4th, 19th, 27th, October 29th, November 5th and 16th; 

 Stage III. on January 18th, February 5th, March 10th, 15th, 26th, 

 April 2nd, September 3rd, 7th, 11th, 19th, 23rd, October 2nd, 5th, 28th, 

 November 20th. In confinement, several Stage II. confined in September 

 and October were still in that Stage in January; another confined on 

 September 19th entered Stage III. on October 17th; still another confined 

 on September 27th entered Stage III. January 4th-20th. Thus, unlike 

 its ally rothei, this species has a two-year life cycle. 



Twenty-six larva? were obtained during September-November, 1914, 

 and only eight subsequently. The number from volcanic and loam soils 

 is about equal, but proportionately to the length of plough furrows 

 nearly 92 per cent, are from forest and fallow lands. 



