THE AGRICULTURAL PESTS OF INDIA. 



known. They are among the most powerful insect 

 friends of man, and they contribute more perhaps than 

 any other family to check the too rapid multiplication 

 of insects. The families are 



Mygalidce or crab-spiders, with the genera Mygale, 

 Atypus, Cteniza, Actinopus, Nemesia. 



Theridiidse, genera Latrodectus and Theridion. 



Lycosidre, wolf - spiders, genera Lycosa, with other 

 thirteen British families. 



Species of the Mygalidse and Lycosidse are among the 

 pests of India. Spiders are kept under by their attacks 

 on each other ; they are at war with all small insects ; they 

 are eaten by monkeys, squirrels, lizards, and frogs, and a 

 genus of birds, the Arachnothene, the spider hunters of 

 India and Malayana, are their natural enemies. 



Arctia. A genus of moths belonging to the Bombyces. 

 There are several species in India, one of which, Arctia 

 Horsfieldi, attacks the cotton plant. 



Argades are arachnida which are closely allied to the 

 ticks ; they differ from them by the inferior situation 

 of the mouth, and by their free conical palpi composed 

 of four articulations. There are several species. Argas 

 Persicus, Fischer, is common at Miana, in Persia. Its 

 size is about that of the common bug ; the body is rough, 

 of a blood-red colour, and covered with some elevated 

 white spots ; these parasites attack man. In Persia 

 it is said that they give the preference to strangers (?) 

 The bite produces acute pain, and it has been even 

 asserted that they may bring on consumption and death. 

 Species of argas occur in Europe, Africa, and America, 

 lischer; M. T. 



Artaxa guttata, Walker. Its larva attacked a castor- 

 oil plant, sown in England. 



