( 357 ) 



CHAPTER XVI. 



PHYTOPHAGA (continued) Family CERAMBYCIDAE (continued). 



LAMIINAE. 



HEAD in front vertical, or bent inwards well below the thorax ; last joint 

 of the palpi pointed at the end ; fore tibiae generally with a groove beneath. 



The number of the Lamiinae known as pests in the forests is not so 

 numerous as the preceding group. One or two of the genera, however, have 

 earned a considerable notoriety owing to the damage done by certain species. 



As a rule the larvae feed in the interior of the stems or roots of sappy 

 trees, or infest seedlings and young trees only, burrowing up the centre of 

 the stem or branch, and eating out a tunnel which may entirely hollow out 

 the stem, or branch, or root. This method of attack is easily distinguish- 

 able from that of the Cerambycinae, where the grubs feed in the bast and 

 outer sapwood, and only penetrate deeper into the wood to pupate. 



MONOHAMMUS. 

 The following species is excessively common throughout the country. 



Monohammus nivosus, YVh. 

 REFERENCES. Wh. Proc. Zool. Soc. p. 409 (1858) ; Lefroy, Ind. Ins. Pests, p. 376 (1509). 



Habitat. Sub-Himalayan tract from Ganges to Nepal; Central and 

 Southern India ; Burma ; Ceylon. 



Tree Attacked. -Ak (Calotropis giganteo). 



Beetle. Short, stout. Rich brown in colour, the head 

 and greater part of elytra silvery-white owing to the presence 



of a dense short pubescence of this 



Description. colour; antennae yellowish; legs 



brown or covered with a yellowish 



grey pubescence ; under-surface clothed with a very short 

 dense white or yellow pubescence. Head rather deeply cleft 

 on front between insertion of antennae. I'rothornx \\itli sides 

 produced medianly into a sharp point ; the disk raised in 

 irregular tubercles with a transverse "collar" basally. Elytra 

 considerably wider than prothonix at base, constricted to 

 apex, apices separately rounded : the brown spares, imt 

 clothed with the white pubescence, with rough iinbrir.iiions. 

 Length 20 mm. to 26111111. 



This beetle appears on the wing from Maivh to May. 



on the stem of the tree, and the grub on hatching out 



Life History. bores into the stem and tunnels upwards in the centre. 



The grubs when about one-third grown will always be 



found to have reached this position. Several grubs are at times to be found 



\\\\. 



FIG. ^4 



Monohammus ///T 

 India. 



Ilie CL r <: is laid 



