FAMILY CURCULIONIDAE 



Elaunon bipartitus, Kirby. Predaceous upon C. brandisi. 



Mature Insect. Elongate narrow. Brown; the forewings bright canary- 

 yellow. Antennae and legs slender, yellow. Length, i in. PI. xxxvi, fig. 3, 

 shows a dorsal and side view of the insect. 



Life History. The grub of this earwig is, I think, predaceous upon the 

 grubs of the cryptorhynchid weevil. 



I took a number of fully mature insects from the dying tree felled in the 

 Baldhoti Plantation on 8 June, and others subsequently in the young dying 

 trees in the Kalimath Plantation. The earwigs were found between the bast 

 and sapwood. 



I know nothing further about this insect. 



Cryptorhynchus gravis, Fabr. 



Habitat. United Provinces, Bengal, Assam. 

 Tree Attacked. Mango (Mangifera indica). 



Beetle. Rusty brown to blackish brown in colour, mottled with greyish patches. 

 Proboscis long, bent vertically downwards, apical portion black, antennae inserted half-way 



up. Prothorax triangular, of less width 

 Description. than elytra, finely rugose. Elytra covered * ft f 



with longitudinal rows of yellowish scales, 



strongly striate-punctate, widest at base, thence gradually constrict- 

 ing to apex, which is depressed and slightly constricted. Length, 

 9 mm. ; breadth, 3 mm. 



Larva. White, fleshy, legless, and corrugated. 



This weevil is the common pest of mangoes in 



Northern India. Many must be 

 Life History. acquainted with both grub and 



weevil, since they are often found 



within the fruit. The eggs are laid in March or 

 April on the young newly formed mango fruit, the 



larvae feeding in the stone. When full-fed, by which time the infested 

 mango will have fallen to the ground, the grub eats its way through the 

 fruit and pupates in the soil, emerging in late June and July and on into 

 August as a perfect beetle. These beetles pass through the monsoon and 

 following winter in this stage, and lay their eggs in March or April of the 

 following year. 



Cryptorhynchus mangiferae, Fabr. 

 REFERENCE. Fabr. Syst. Ent. p. 139. 



The life history of this insect in its main details is similar to that of 

 C. gravis. It is not impossible, however, that it may pass through two 

 generations in the year. 



According to Lefroy (Indian Insect Life) it is confined to South India and 

 Ceylon. 



FIG. 289. 



Bengal, Assam. 



