[ 7'9 3 



long, rather slender, nearly cylindrical, and cream white in 

 colour, usually speckled with black spots, with a yellow head 

 and black mandibles. On attaining its full size it bores a 

 hole on the side of the cane for its future exit and then goes 

 back into its tunnel and pupates. The slender brown pupa is 

 about three-quarters of an inch long. In a few days the pupa 

 becomes a moth and comes out of the hole already made in 

 its larval stage. The moth is light greyish brown in colour 

 and ii"from wing to wing when the wings are expanded. 

 The hind vings of the male are silvery white. There are 

 several broods in the course of the same season, and the 

 larvae are plentifully ensconced in the tops or cuttings sown, 

 or the portions of the cane rejected and left neglected in 

 fields. The hybernation takes place in winter in the larval 

 and pupal stages, and the moths come out again in April or 

 May. 



1.259. The methods of keeping down the pest suggested 

 by the above description are : (i) collecting all refuse leaves, 

 tops &c. and burning them in a heap and (2) pickling the tops 

 or cuttings sown with an aqueous and poisonous mixture 

 consisting of soot, lime, ashes and arsenic made up into a 

 thin mixture and leading the canes dipped in it for a few hours 

 before planting. If sulphate of copper solution instead of 

 plain water is used as a simultaneous preventive against 

 Trichosphceria fungus, the seed-canes should be kept dipped 

 in the mixture only for a minute. 



1.260. Thorough cultivation of soil is also useful; but 

 burning of the sod is not recommended as it disturbs nests of 

 red ants which are a most useful natural agency in killing 



the borer. 







1.261. Certain special methods are said to have been 

 effective in keeping down the sugar-cane borer. These are : 

 (a) Collecting all leaves on which the eggs of the borer are 

 seen and burning them. The eggs are brownish in colour 

 and are deposited in groups of about 20, and children can be 



