GKEYBACK CANE BEETLE, LEPIDODEEMA ALBOHIRTUM. 17 



No. 3 fell at 6.50 and went under a bit of trash about a foot from 

 ilie stool. 



Xo. 4 dropped at 6.55 and dug under a lump of earth about a foot 

 from the stool. 



Xotc. — These four were all on eane-leaves in the sun; the other two 

 were in the shade. 



No. 5 did not drop until 7.06, and it chanced to fall into a nest of 

 ants where it was soon covered with myriads of them, clinging to the 

 various appendages; by their combined activities they soon gave the 

 beetle a bad time. Each ant clmig to bits of trash, lumps of soil, &c., so 

 that the struggling beetle was soon weighted down, and it was with the 

 greatest difficulty that she could move. After an extra effort, by 

 violently kicking her feet together, she knocked off many of the foe, and 

 at once made off' as fast as she could go, impeded as she still was with 

 many of the ants hanging to her. About K) feet away she accidentally 

 fell on her back and her tiny tormentors quickly renewed the attack. For 

 a while she kept the numbers down by violent kicking, and rubbing her 

 feet together. Soon, however, she became w^eary, for the struggle had 

 gone on for three-quarters of an hour, and she ceased to kick. The ants 

 then piled on her in overwhelming hordes, and it looked as if she were 

 doomed. Nevertheless, after resting motionless for fifteen minutes, she 

 started with renewed strength, and by a fortunate chance the tip of a 

 cane-leaf was pushed near her by the wind, so that she was able to regain 

 her feet ; she then made off a second time, and after going about 3 feet 

 dug in under a bit of trash, about a foot from the stool of cane, and 

 ■escaped at 8.15. The struggle lasted an hour and nine minutes. 



No. € fell oft' the leaf at 8.30 ; hence she had remained thus suspended 

 for three hours. 



It is of particular interest that all of the hundreds of beetles that 

 I collected from the eane-leaves after the morning flight Avere gravid 

 females packed full of ripe eggs, which is certainly conclusive evidence 

 that they w^ere there to lay. Furthermore, those that were collected thus, 

 alive, and placed in tins of moist soil, oviposited at once — from 20 to 35 

 eggs, with an average of 28. 



It is a well-known fact among collectors of this pest, that the beetles 

 while inhabiting the feeding-trees also have a defuiite morning flight, 

 v/hich takes place at the same time that the gravid females depart to 

 oviposit. For instance, at 5 a.m. — al)out da.vbreak on a clear morning — 

 the beetles began moving and feeding, and soon they commenced to fly 

 around the trees in great numbers; the commotion lasted for about a 

 (juarter of an hour, when they settled in the denser foliage and began 

 (juietly feeding again. Evidently this flight is simjily to secure exercise 

 and a fresh location with better protection for the clay ; at any rate no 

 sex attraction is apparent at that time. 



]\IiDDAY Flight. 



During particularly hot days a noon flight has also often been 

 oliserved. Under these conditions the beetles leave the exposed positions 

 Avhere they have been feeding, and fly to cover in any available tree or 

 shrub that offers denser foliage for shade, regardless as to its attractive- 

 2iess as a food plant. A most interesting case was noted by Mr. Dodd (91) 



B 



