BELATED CANE BEETLES AXD THEIR ALLIES. 55 



LEFIDIOTA FROGGATTI :\IACLEAY. 



This fine large species occurs in the scrub lands of the Cairns and 

 Innisfail districts, but is apparently not plentiful. An adult came to 

 light at South Johnstone on 12th October, 1920; it was newly emerged. 

 At the end of that month a few were on the wing at Babinda at dusk, 

 in company with L. caudata. Our only record of this l)eetle in the 

 Gordonvale area is of a single specimen shaken during the day from 

 bloodwood foliage at Greenhills on 26th January, 1920, in company with 

 L. alholiirfiim. Their habits appear to be very similar to those of allied 

 species. 



The adult has not been connected with its larva. There is hardly 

 a doubt, however, that the large grul) recorded as Lepidiohi No. 45 

 belongs to the species, as Girault and Dodd surmised (66). Dodd (91) 

 suggested that the life-cycle probably covered two years. Our only 

 record is of stage III and II grubs under grass-roots at Kureen, on the 

 Atherton Tableland, on 1st October, 1920. 



The large size of this grub suggests the thought that it could cause 

 "tremendous damage to sugar-cane, were the species in sufficient numbers. 

 In this respect it is interesting to fjuote a letter from ]Mr. W. J. 

 Henderson, of the Seventeen-mile Tramline, South Johnstone, dated 11th 

 April, 1921, in reference to this species, specimens of which were 

 forwarded at the same time : — 



''The two large grubs in the bottle are fairly plentiful, but are 

 mostly away from the stools, as I plough out plenty while ploughing 

 between the drills, but only get an odd one under the stools." 



LEFIDIOTA PERKINSI BLACKBURN. 



A single beetle from Kuranda. collected by Mr. F. P. Dodd, has 

 been doubtfully referred here by Mv. A. M. Lea. 



LEFIDIOTA SQUAMULATA WATERHOUSE. 



In the earlier history of the grul)-i)est of sugar-cane, L. squamuUda 

 is often referred to as the, or one of the, principal damaging agents; 

 Shelton (4), Olliff (8), Tryon (19), "Scrutator" (27), and others have 

 used this name. There is little doubt that some confusion had arisen, 

 and that the species in question Avas Lipidoderma cdhohirtum. Through 

 the kindness of the South Australian ]\Iuseum, we have received a 

 specimen of the true squamuhita labelled "Cossack, North West 

 Australia," and Mr. Edgar R. Waite (110) states that Mr. A. 31. Lea 

 reports that he has seen specimens of this species from West Australia 

 only. Thus we can state with some degree of certitude that squdDUiJata is 

 not one of the Queensland sugar-cane pests. 



LEFIDIOTA GRATA BLACKBURN. 



This is a smaller species, not unlike L. roihci in appearance, l)ut 

 somewhat larger and broader. Our sole specimen was received from 3Ir. 

 F. Creamer, of Gin Gin, who captured it in February. 1918. 



At the same time jMr. Creamer forwarded a number of grubs of a 

 species of Lcpidiota which were evidently damaging cane. These are 

 very similar indeed to those of rotliei, the anal path being bordered by a 

 slightly convex row of from 12-15 seta:" on either side, meeting across the 

 path ; but the size is somewhat larger, the width of the head being 6 mm. 



