136 THE DATE PALM. 



inside. When the insect bores clown into the leaf-bud, it eats 

 away many of the soft leaflets in the process, and when the bud 

 opens the lateral rows of leaflets appear more or less raggedly 

 eaten away from the main axes of tb.3 leaves. This appearance 

 is usually found in the date trees in the South -West of the Punjab 

 in which the " red iveevils " have been found (see illustration 

 No. 48 opposite). 



It is stated that a quantity of chewed-up fibre is often found 

 thrown out from the hole made by a Rhinoceros beetle. Quantities 

 of such fibre are also commonly seen in summer on date trees 

 affected with red weevil in the Punjab. 



The beetles usually so damage the growing part of the 

 tree that the tree ultimately dies. When rain falls, the water 

 also lodges in the holes and sets up decay. 



The beetles fly at night and hide in holes by day. They are 

 attracted by light. The egg when laid is white, smooth, oval 

 in outline, and 2>:3| mm. approximately, but becomes yellowish, 

 rounder, and bigger before hatching. See Fig. 1 illustration 

 No. 67, page 134&. 



The young larva (worm-like stage) is about 6 mm. long 

 with a flattened lower surface, pale yellow or greyish body, 

 a row of yellowish dots along each side and numerous pale yellow 

 hairs, yellowish brown head, and 3 pairs of pale yellow legs 



near the front of the body. See Fig. 2, illustration No. 47. 



The full-grown larva is a big fleshy grub about 100 mm. 

 (4 inches approximately) long when extended and about 25 mm. 

 (1 inch approximately) across. It is thicker at the posterior 

 end and lies doubled up ventrally. See Fig. 3, illustration 

 No. 47. 



The pupa (dormant stage) is about 45 mm. long and 20 mm. 

 across. The legs and wing cases are distinctly marked on the 

 ventral surface and so also is a protuberance on the head which 

 represents the horn. See Fig. 4, illustration No. 47. The eggs, 

 larvae, and pupae are usually found in dung heaps and decaying 

 vegetable matter. Only the imago (mature beetles) are said to 

 cause damage to living palm trees. 



