224 



COLEOPTERA. 



COCCINELLIDAE. 

 CaUincda tcstiidinaria, Mulsant.* (PI. XV, figs. 1-4.) 



Two specimens of this species of Ladybug, collected at Bunda- 

 berg, Queensland, Australia, by Messrs. Koebele and Perkins, 

 and received at the Experiment Station, Dec. 6, 1904, survived. 

 These proved to be a male and a female, and eg-g-laying began 

 Dec. 15th and continued for several weeks till the death of the 

 female. 944 eggs were produced. These hatched, and the 

 larvae were reared to maturity. Some were sent out to sugar 

 plantations, while others were retained for breeding. They 

 have been breeding with some interruptions at the Station and 

 from time to time lots of 25-50, or more, have been sent out to 

 the plantations to start colonies of them in the cane-fields. Many 

 plantations have been supplied already, and others will be as 

 soon as they are bred in sufificient numbers. 



In confinement this Ladybug is a very voracious feeder upon 

 leaf-hoppers and all species of Aphis ; and, as is .usual with the 

 ladybugs, both larvae and adults are equally voracious. A 

 nearly full-grown larva, in confinement, was observed to eat 15 

 cane Ap'hids in 6 minutes; and in 24 hours had eaten 140 Aphids. 

 Another larva ate 17 cane Aphids in 9 minutes; and 153 Aphids 

 in 24 hours. A third larva ate 5 Aphids in 2 minutes, and 100 in 

 24 hours. A full-grown larva, fed upon leaf-hoppers, ate an 

 adult and 22 medium-sized nymphs in 24 hours. The Aphids 

 were eaten in entirety ; but the leaf-hoppers were chewed up, 

 their juices sucked, and the hard parts rejected. The larvae are 

 very cannibalistic, eating those of their own size even, when 

 other food is scarce. They, as well as adults, will also eat the 

 eggs of their own species. In a cluster of eggs, if some hatch 

 before others, the larvae are likely to eat the other eggs or such 

 larvae as hatch later. 



It is hoped that this species will be helpful in the cane-fields 

 against the leaf-hopper. Being larger than Coccinella repanda, 



* Crotch, Coccinellidae, p. 161; Froggatt, Agrip. Gaz., N. S. W., XIII., p. 900. 



