346 SPICES 



CHAP. 



The female is dull (not metallic) bluish white on the 

 upper side, the outer black borders much broader, and 

 the black spots on the lower wings considerably more 

 prominent. The under side in both sexes is pale brownish, 

 crossed by numerous more or less broken prominent 

 white lines. It is very abundant in the cardamom 

 fields, and at low elevations flies all the year round, and 

 there is probably a constant succession of broods. 



The female probably lays its eggs on the flower buds 

 of the cardamoms (as an allied fruit-eating blue butter- 

 fly does), and after a few days the larvae commence to 

 burrow into the young fruit and to devour the centre. 



The full-grown caterpillar is described by Mr. Green 

 as "55 in. long, dull pale green, tinged with red on the 

 dorsal area, with three reddish dorsal stripes, minute 

 black spiracles and a small brown head retracted beneath 

 the second segment. The chrysalis is smooth, pale, dull 

 yellowish brown, marbled and spotted with darker 

 brown, the spots coalescing into three irregular dorsal 

 stripes. 



The caterpillar before pupating leaves the fruit, 

 cutting a large round hole in the side. Otherwise, it 

 does not leave the fruit it commenced on unless it some- 

 how becomes unsuitable, when it would seek a fresh one 

 and bore into that. 



The caterpillar probably pupates among the leaves 

 and dead stalks. The allied butterflies, however, pass 

 the pupa stage in the fruits. Mr. Green estimates the 

 destruction to be ordinarily from 5 to 10 per cent of 

 the capsules. Mr. Owen, as mentioned above, says that 

 sometimes 80 to 90 per cent of the capsules are 

 destroyed. 



There is considerable difficulty in dealing with a 

 pest of this nature. Mr. De Niceville, in the Indian 

 Museum Notes, suggests that small boys should be 

 employed with butterfly nets to catch the insects, and 

 should be able to secure the~ greater part of them in a 

 plantation. The destruction of the gravid females 

 would check the injury very largely. 



