68 AUSTEALIAN SUGAR-CANE BEETLES AND THEIR ALLIES. 



season beetles were collected on 7th December, 12tli December, 4th 

 January, all at Gorclonvale. They can be found scattered through the 

 forest on young bloodwoods {Eucalyptus corymhosa), twelve or even 

 more on a tree. Another food plant is the river cherry (Eugenia 

 Uerneyana) , the young foliage of which is sometimes considerably eaten. 



They are active beetles, and may be observed buzzing about the 

 feeding-tree in bright sunlight. AVhen a tree is jarred, they often do 

 not fall to the ground ; in most instances they drop a short distance, and 

 then take flight. Active copulation has been witnessed at 2 p.m. ; the 

 male rests on the back of the female. 



ANOMALA AUSTRALASIA BLACKBURN. 



This beetle is interesting because of the fact that one member of 

 the genus, A. orientaJis, is a notorious foe to sugar-cane in Hawaii. 

 However, the Australian species, according to Dodd (91), is held well in 

 check by parasites; thus, fortunately, it does not appear that it is ever 

 likely to attain the dimensions of a pest. In all its stages, Anomala, as 

 its name implies, differs in many particulars from related insects ; in 

 the larva the arrangement of setae on the under surface of the apex 

 of the body is not present in any of the other Rutelid larvic known to 

 us, and this character caused Girault and Dodd (66) to ally it with 

 the Lepidiotas, the adult not then having been determined ; the pupa, 

 too, differs markedly from those of Anoplognathus and its relations ; 

 and the habit of the adult of feeding on nectar is peculiar, and recalls 

 the true flower-frequenting scaraba?ids (Cetonidffi). 



We have obtained adults and grubs from several cane districts, viz., 

 Ingham, Innisfail, Cairns, and Mossman, and also from Cooktown. The 

 earliest emergence noted is 16th November, 1920, at jMeringa, following 

 a few days' heavy rain. In this locality in the previous season, they 

 did not appear until 15th January ; the season was exceptionally late, 

 and none of the other scarabieids were on the wing more than two or 

 three days earlier. In the past .season they were ol)served nightl.y until 

 11th January, which would give a maximum length of the aerial life 

 as 56 days. In confinement the longest period of existence was 38 days. 



A few extracts from our files on their habits may prove of interest : — 



"Greenhills, 14th January, 1920. Just before dusk many adults 

 were seen resting singly on sugar-cane leaves. Later, at dusk, numbers 

 were swarming and mating on low shrubs. After dark, many were found 

 quiescent on the cane-leaves, sometimes a few to a plant, or as many as 

 twenty to a leaf; in all several hundred were counted. The sweetish 

 odour that they emit was noticeable at a distance of several yards. 

 The lantern held a yard or so away annoyed them, and most took to 

 flight. In swarming they invariably select the extreme tops of cane- 

 plants and weeds." 



The sweetish odour mentioned above has been commented on pre- 

 viously, ancl is no doubt due to their habit of frequenting flowers. 

 Whether they absorb the nectar, or eat the flowers, is still a moot 

 question ; in this resi^ect the following note by INIr. Girault Is worth 

 (juoting : — 



''At 9 p.m. I visited tlie lantana, where the AnonmJa were last 

 night. They were still feeding on the flowers, eating the corolla. When 

 I approached these bushes, the beetles became greatly agitated on 

 account of the light and clustered about me in numbers." 



