PEOCEEUINGS OF THE THIKD EIs'TOMOLOGICAL MEETING ?87 



and in greatest numbers about October-November when the rice comes 

 into ear. Hibernation and aestivation take place mainly in rice stubbles 

 and jiiar stalks. 



Of all the borers in gramineous crops this is the most widespread 

 and occurs in the largest numbers. 



The appearance of the caterpillars varies a little. The common 

 form is shown in PI. 4.5. f. 2 in which there are distinct sub-dor.sal brown 

 stripes with the warts indistinct. In a second form (PI. 4Q, f. 1) the sub- 

 dorsal stripes approach one another on the back and practically meet- 

 In a third form the stripes are rather indistinct and the warts prominent. 

 This third form is not common. 



Diatraa auricilia (C. S. 1574). 



Plate 48 ; Plate 49, figs. 1,4. 

 Foodplants — 



Sugarcane — Pusa ; Sipaya ; Sabour ; Munni, MuzafEarpur ; Chin- 

 •surah ; Bankura ; Cawnpore ; Lyallpur ; Sukkur ; Landhi ; 

 Manjri. 

 Jitar {Andropogon Sorghum) — Pusa. 

 Raihi and Batri (Saccharum spontaneuni) — Pusa. 

 Ikri {Saccharum ftiscum) — Pusa. 

 Jove grass (Rottboellia compressa) — Pusa. 

 The localities mentioned above are the places where caterpillars 

 have been collected iu the course of the last two years and definitely 

 identified. Out of these foodplants it occurs in the largest numbers in 

 batri and, next to that, in sugarcane. In the other foodplants it has 

 been found occasionally and in small numbers. 



The seasonal history of this species too is very irregular. Some 

 larvae begin to rest from about July and pupate and emerge as moths 

 in the following March-April. Many caterpillars however, continue to 

 be active up to about October when hibernation on a general scale 

 commences. Moths have been obtained up to 15th November before 

 winter and the earliest date after winter when moths have emerged 

 from over-wintering larvae is the 12th March, on which date young larvae 

 also have been collected from hairi. Durmg the active season the 

 life-cycle occupies about five to six weeks, viz., egg about 3 days, larva 

 about 30 days and pupa 7 to 8 days. Eggs are deposited iu the same 

 maimer as observed in the case of Chilo simplex. The caterpillars bore 

 in the middle of the stem. In sugarcane they occur more commonly 

 in young shoots than in grown canes. In batri they occur in all stages 



