FAMILY CURCULIONIDAE 



399 



The Walayan Forest is said to 

 be infested by both these cater- 

 pillars, often being heavily defo- 

 liated in the spring, and again 

 in September. Consequently the 



\ 



This small, white, striking-looking weevil was by far the commonest 



insect present in the Mount Stuart forests in the 



Life History. Anamalai Hills towards the end of July 1902, and was 



also taken in considerable numbers in the Walayan 



Forest near Coimbatore at the commencement of August 1902. The mature 



insect feeds on the teak leaves, and 



when it is. present in the numbers 



observable in 1902 the defoliation com- 

 mitted is heavy. In eating the leaf 



the beetle leaves untouched the main 



veins, and thus, to some extent, its 



attack resembles that of the cater- 

 pillar of the moth Hyblcea pucra. It is 



distinguishable, however, owing to the 



fact that the weevil does not eat the 



parenchyma of the leaf clean up to 



the vein, but leaves small patches of 



unconsumed tissue here and there, 



as shown in the drawing made in the 



forest from a defoliated leaf. Short 



pieces of the side veins are also left 



unconsumed by the beetle. The 



edges of places eaten out of the leaf 



are ragged and not clean-cut, as is 



usually the case with parts of leaves 



eaten by caterpillars. Numbers of 



leaves on the trees w r ere found in the 



condition shown in the drawing. 



The defoliation committed by 



this little weevil 



Relations to the r 



is or a serious 



rorest. 



nature, owing to 



the fact that the teak-trees are sub- 

 ject both before and after the time 

 of appearance of the insect to the 

 attacks of the two defoliating cater- 

 pillars, Hyhlica f)itcni and 1'vriinstii 

 mach&ralis. 



Kn;. 269. 



I < ik-lc;if defoliated l.y . J/r //,< vv/.v 

 I'in'tftiiiits, Fabr. Coimbatore, 

 .Madras. (K. I'. S. 



