4a "t^he Tea insects of India. 



many years ago by Nietner as attacking cofiPee in Ceylon. It lias since 

 been found upon tea in Ceylon by Green, who has published an interest- 

 ing account of his observations in the Ceylon Independent, 



It has not yet been noticed upon tea in India, but has been recorded 

 as attacking coffee ia the southern portion of the Peninsula. The fol- 

 lowing account of the insect is taken from Nietner's work on the Coffee 

 Tree and its Enemies. 



" Lecanium coffees (Brown or scaly bug^). Male : Head transversely ovate-rotunda te 

 narrowed, and square in front ; eyes large, black ; ocelli 2, small, lateral j antennae 9- 

 jointed, 2nd joint smallest, 3rd longest, thence decreasing to the tip; mouth as in 

 the male of the -white bug. Thorax ample, cordif orm, narrowed in front ; wings 2, 

 hyaline, 2-nerved, subcostal nerve dark pink, not folded straight down the back 

 when at rest, but half spread out. Scutellum as in white bug. Abdomen trian»ular- 

 sub-cylindrical of shrivelled appearance, with 2 lateral points, 1 central appendage, 

 and 2 long, thin, white filaments at the extremity. The insect is still more delicate 

 than the male Pseudococcus, of clear, light pinkish-brown colour, slightly hairy ; 

 very pretty. 



" Female : Apterous, tortoise-like, yellowish, marbled with grey or light brown, 

 sub-oval, more or less semi-globose according to age, back with one elevated longitudi- 

 nal and 2 transverse costse, uneven; split behind, at the extremity of a split bifid anal 

 flab of brown colour ; eyes marginal, black ; antennae 7-jomted, 3rd joint longest • 

 proboscis with 1 long sucking bristle. The old individuals are light brown with a 

 dark margin, smooth, semi-globose, fixed to the branch. 



" Larvae of female with 2 anal filaments which are lost in after-life. The larva3 

 and pupae of botli sexes are active, with the exception of the male pupa, which is 

 plentiful on the underside of the leaves, where the long, narrow, oval shell under 

 which it rests is easily discovered. This shell is transparent, and composed of 

 9 plates, 3 central and 3 on either side. I have occasionally found the entire underside 

 of leaves covered with nothing but male pupae, all dead. This species of bug aflPects 

 elevated (above 3,000 feet), cold, damp, close localities, n-here it is found in all stages 

 of development all the year round, the propagation being, as in the white bug, con- 

 tinuous. As in the latter species, the males seem to be more abundant about June 

 and January than at any other season. The eggs, which are oval and of pinkish colour, 

 are not actually brought forth by the female, but when they are matured the parent 

 insect dies, the whole interior forming one mass of eggs protected by the shell. 



" This kind of bug is closely aUied to the lac insect {^Coccus lacca, K.) of India. 

 " The brown bug is much infested by parasites, amongst which the following are 

 the most common : — 



Scutellista cyanea, 

 Encyrtus Nietneri, 



„ paradisicus, 



CefJialeta purpureiveTttris. 

 „ brunneiventris. 



„ fusciventris. 

 Cirrhospilus coccivorus. 

 Marietta leopardina. 



^ " This insect is generally called ' black bug,' but the above is a more correct name, 

 it being of brown colour, and only the fungus found in its company, black." 



