280 C. C. GOWDEY — THE YELLOW-HEADED COFFEE BOKER 



The pupa is dark brown and somewhat larger than the adult. 



The beetle is black, with the exception of the head and the anterior border of 

 the prothorax, which are yellow ; antennae somewhat longer than the body, basal 

 segment yellow, remaining segments black, shading to brown near tips : elytra 

 black, apex brownish black, with rows of punctures ; wings black, protruding 

 slightly beyond the elytra ; venter black, basal half covered with silvery hairs ; 

 legs black. Length 34 mm. ; female slightly larger than male. 



Life-History. 



The female beetle loosens a bit of the bark on a branch, from four to six 

 inches from the tip, and lays its eggs under the bark. The eggs are deposited 

 sinoflv. 



The vouns; larva bores into the branch until it reaches the wood on which it 

 feeds and continues borino; its wav to the stem. It then turns downwards, 

 forming a large tunnel which often cuts into the cambium. The tunnels in the 

 stem continue to the surface of the ground and often extend into the main root, 

 being sometimes as much as four feet in length. The larva is very agile, 

 ascending or descending in its tunnel with great rapidity. At distances varying 

 from two to four or five inches, horizontal tunnels are bored running from the 

 vertical tunnel to the outside of the branch or stem. The exits of these tunnels 

 are about 1*5 to 2 mm. in diameter, and are all on the same side of." the tree. 

 They are made for the purpose of getting rid of the frass (excrement and wood 

 dust). 



When full growth is attained the larva ascends the tunnel for about half an 

 inch and forms a pupal chamber by constructing a partition above and beneath. 

 The reason for this ascent is probably to escape the slight moisture which may 

 collect at the bottom of the tunnel. As soon as the transformation from the 

 pupa to the beetle is completed, the latter eats its way out of the stem. The 

 beetle has not been observed to feed either on the leaves or on the bark. 



As is usual with members of this family, the life-history is a very protracted 

 one. My observations lead me to the conclusion that it occupies between two 

 and three years, and larvae of various sizes can be found throughout the year. 

 The pupal stage lasts for from seven to nine weeks, usually from November to 

 December. 



Treatment. 



It is an easy matter to locate the trees that are attacked by this borer, as the 

 frass can be quickly observed near the base of the trees. The branch through 

 which admittance to the stem is gained can usually be detected without difficulty, 

 either by the openings of the horizontal tunnels or by the tips of the branches 

 being black. The latter, however, is not a sure indication of the presence of the 

 grub, as the blackening may also be due to the ' die-back ' fungus. 



If the presence of the grub is detected in the branch before it has reached the 

 stem, the obvious and easiest way to get rid of the insect is to cut off the branch and 

 burn it. It is not an easy matter, though, to discover the insect at such an early 

 stage. On the other hand, if the presence of the grub is not detected before it 



