FAMILY SCOLYTIDAE 



593 



FIG. 370. 



andrewesi, 



, in S/iorea 



Xorth Coimbatore. 



Xyleborus andrewesi, Blandford. 



REFERENCE. Blandford, Trans. Ent. Soc. p. 227 (1896). 



Habitat. North Coimbatore, Madras. Also taken in Belgaum by 

 Andrewes. 



Tree Attacked. Shorea talura. Dhimbum, North Coimbatore. 



Beetle. Elongate, cylindrical, elytra constricted apically. Red- 

 brown. Prothorax anteriorly and apical two-thirds of elytra darker 



to almost black. Prothorax slightly longer 



Description. than wide, widest across middle, base 



straight, basal angles slightly truncate, apex 



strongly rounded; anterior two-fifths with rather close small transverse 

 asperities, decreasing in size inwardly from apex, being replaced on 

 rest of surface by fine shallow punctures, the apex with some sparse 

 yellow setae. Elytra but slightly wider than prothorax at base, 

 humeral angles oblique, sides constricted behind latter, thence 

 slightly widened to apical third and thence sharply constricted ; 

 striate-punctate, the punctures of uniform size and placed rather 

 close together ; the interspaces smooth and bearing rows of long 

 white stiff setae ; the declivity oblique, occupying half the elytra, 

 punctate and set with sharp tubercular asperities and long stiff spiny setae. L T nder-surface 

 light red-brown, shining, punctate. Legs and antennae reddish yellow. Length, i.S mm. 



The beetle is to be found egg-laying in the first week in August. On 



the bark of the tree a largish circular orifice is made of 



Life History. considerably greater diameter than the insect itself. 



This orifice reaches down to the sapwood. It is 



apparently commenced by one beetle, probably the male, and then enlarged 

 subsequently by the other, the female. In the sapwood a short, vertical, 

 funnel-shaped hole narrowing inwards is hollowed out, this being the 

 pairing-chamber. After fertilization the female insect eats out a tunnel 

 down into the sapwood, this tunnel taking off from the upper part of the 



funnel-shaped opening. The tunnel 

 is straight, not winding, and goes 

 down into the sapwood at an angle. 

 The eggs appear to be laid at the 

 bottom of the tunnel, but I have 

 not ascertained exactly how they 

 are laid, as in the only attacks 

 observed the beetles were just com- 

 mencing to oviposit, the egg-tunnel 

 being still incomplete. The insects 

 observed engaged in this operation 

 were taken on 6 August 1902. 



The beetles oviposit in newly 



felled green timber, and, owing to their small size, the damage done is not 

 great unless the beetles occur in large numbers. In the latter case the 

 value of the wood would be seriously impaired. 



9003 P p 



FIG. 371. Tunnel of Xyleborus 

 Blandford, in heart-wood of sal (Shorea talnr t i\. 

 a, entrance-hole of <$ and beetles ; /, pairing- 

 chamber ; c, egg-tunnel in heart-wood. 



