SMALL DIADOXUS BORER. 49 



CHAPTER CXIII. 



SMALL DIADOXUS BORER. 



(Diadoxus ery thrums, White.) 



Order : Coleoptera. Family : Buprestidce. 



This is a pretty but very destructive beetle, whose natural 

 home is in the Murray Pine (Frenela). It is much more 

 common than the large species (D. scalaris), and appears 

 to be more widely distributed. It is by no means certain 

 that either of these is confined strictly to the Coniferoe, 

 both species having been taken where neither the pine 

 nor the cypress grows ; I strongly suspect the Mulga 

 and other of the stunted forms of Acacias to be the hosts 

 of these and other boring beetles. 



The eggs of this species are deposited in crevices of the 

 bark, and as soon as they are hatched the grubs commence 

 boring their way into the tree. When the full size is 

 attained, they are supposed to remain in the wood for 

 some considerable time, they then change into the pupal 

 stage, and so remain until the final change into the perfect 

 beetle. The larva or grub is yellowish-white in colour, 

 and about half the size of that illustrated. 



It is singular that when alive these beetles are greenish 

 in colour, and after death they turn yellow. 



This beetle is found also in New South Wales, South, 

 and Western Australia. 



Generally speaking, the Diadoxus may be termed dry 

 country beetles, and, although both of the Victorian kinds 

 have frequently been found crawling in the streets of 

 Melbourne and suburbs, they are much more plentiful in 

 the Mallee districts. These beetles are largely responsible 

 for the disappearance of many fine ornamental trees from our 

 streets. Many years ago, the Lambertianas about Mel- 

 bourne were dying out in patches, and the late Mr. Elliott, 



