5 66 



FAMILY SCOLYTIDAE 



This Pityogencs infests also the Pin us gerardiana in the North Zhob and 

 Takht-i-Suliman forests, and also in Bashahr in the North-West Himalaya. 

 In the North Zhob and Takht forests the beetle was extremely plentiful in 

 1905, accompanying the Polygraphus trcnchi (p. 510) and Phloeosinus beetles 

 in their attack on the trees. Its life history in the chilgoza is very similar 

 to that in the blue pine. 



The protection and remedial measures are similar to those already 

 described for Polygraphus major and the Tomicus beetles. 



Chalcid. The larva of this small fly is parasitic upon the grubs of the 

 Pityogencs. 



Fly. A brightly coloured little insect. Head black with a minute yellow pubescence 

 Eyes large, pink. Thorax and body dark metallic purple ; thorax beneath is rather yellowish, 



as are femora on inner surface ; tarsi yellow, the last joint black ; 

 tibiae black, yellowish black above. Antennae angled, black with 

 yellowish pubescence. Abdomen rounded, produced into a blunt 

 point. Wings membranous, iridescent, upper with a black stigma and a few cells. 



Parasitic and 

 Predaceous Insects. 



Life History. I have taken this insect in the pupal chambers of the 

 little Pityogenes in blue-pine trees in Jaunsar. The tiny fly either lays her 

 eggs near the entrance-hole of the beetle or, more probably, crawls down it 

 and lays them in the pairing-chamber. The larvae feed as external parasites 

 on the scolytid grubs, which do not die before they have hollowed out 

 the pupating-chamber in the bast layer. The parasitic grub then pupates in 

 this, the scolytid larva dying. 



Thanasimus himalayensis, Steb. I have fed the Thanasimus beetles 

 with this small Pityogenes, which they devoured as 

 readily as they do the larger bark- and wood-borers 

 they prey upon (p. 508). 



Reduviid. This insect occurs occasionally very 

 plentifully in the galleries of the Pityogencs in blue 

 pine and more rarely in deodar, and also with Cryp- 

 turgus pusillus and Polygraphus pini in blue pine and 

 spruce. 



Insect. Minute, elongate, shining ; head, thorax, and 



segment of body reddish yellow, rest of body with a purplish 



metallic tinge dorsally and dark reddish underneath. Head with 



prominent eyes and a curved scimitar-shaped proboscis ; antennae 



yellow. 



-Small, flat, elongate. Black or greyish 



Antennae inserted in front of eyes on the head, the 



strong, and curved. Thorax triangular, narrowest 



Scutellum triangular, produced into a sharp point FlG< 359- Reduviid, 



Femora thickened. predaceous upon Pityo- 



gencs coniferae and other 

 his small bug is sometimes scolytids (magnified). 



onsiderable numbers in the tunnels and North-West Himalaya. 



