270 COCOA 



CHAP. 



hammus ruspator, has been found as an enemy of the 

 cocoa by Von Faber. 1 



The splendid large Catoxantha beetle (Catoxantha 

 bicolor, F. = C. gigantea, Schaller), Fig. 91, has also been 

 a serious pest in some plantations in Java. 2 Lately, 

 however, it has ceased to appear in the cocoa fields in 

 large numbers. The larvae attain a length of no less 

 than 11 to 16 cm. (4'3 to 6'3 in.). The larval stage lasts 

 for about one year, while the length of the pupal stage 

 is about two months. The whole life-cycle takes about 

 two years. This beetle belongs to the family of Bupre- 

 stidae. Its size is about 7 to 8 cm. (27 to 3 '1 in.). The 



FIG. 91. The Catoxantha borer (Catoxantha Ucolor}. 

 (Natural size.) 



wing-covers, feelers, and legs are of a splendid gold- 

 green colour, and on each of the wing-covers is a spot 

 of yellowish colour and of a transparent or gelatine- 

 like appearance. The Catoxantha beetle is also an 

 inhabitant of British India. 



In some countries, e.g. Trinidad and Java, small 

 beetles of the genus Xyleborus have been observed to 

 do more or less damage to the cocoa. These small 

 brown beetles are generally met with in dead wood, but 

 sometimes they also attack living branches and stems, 

 by preference or even almost exclusively, when these 

 parts are already diseased from some other cause. 



1 Von Faber, " Die Krankheiten und Parasiten, etc." (Arb. Kais. Biol. 

 Anstalt, 1909, p. 269). 



2 Zehntner, Bulletin No. 1 van het Proefstation voor Cacao te Salatiga (1901), 

 p. 8. 



