No. 3.j Original Communications. 65 



As at present known these are six in number — Chilo simplex, 

 Scirpophaga aurifiua and Scirpophaga excerptalis (Ord. Lepi- 

 doptera), Xyleborus sp. (Ord. Coleoptera), and Termes taprobanes 

 (Ord, Pseudoneuroptera) , of which the Chilo is by far the most im- 

 portant. I may add Dorylus orientalis (Ord. Hymenopterd) which 

 is doubtfully destructive. 



1. Chilo simplex, Butl. The Sugarcane Borer. 



! Chilo simplex, Butl., P. Z. S., 1880, p. 690. 

 Crambus zonellus, Swinh. P. Z. S. 1884, p. 528, PI. 48 fig. 16; 

 C. andS. No. 4703. 

 Crambus partellus, Swinh. P. Z. S., 1885, p. 875 ; C. and S. 

 No. 4700. 

 Indian Museum Notes, Vol. I. 1. 22 ; Vol. II ; Vol. III. 



Classification : Order Lepidoptera, Sub.-Order Heterocera. Family Pyralidas. 



The exact classification of this insect has only recently been 

 determined. It was considered for a long time to be identical 

 with the American sugarcane borer Diatraea saccharalis, Fabricius, 

 but specimens reared from sugarcane in the Indian Museum, 

 Calcutta, and sent to Washington for identification were deter- 

 mined by Dr. Riley, late United States Entomologist, to belong to a 

 different genus. He wrote : — 



** I must confess that I am rather disappointed in finding that your sugarcane 

 borer is not the same as ours. It is a Chilo and not a Diatraea, and comes 

 near C. plejadellus, Zinck, which bores into rice in our Southern States, but it 

 differs in the very clear cut terminal dark line between the black spots and fringe. 

 The specimen is badly rubbed and I cannot be certain of its exact specific 

 position. It is possible that it ma)* be identical with Chilo infuscatellus, Snell., 

 which infests sugarcane in Java." . . . . . . . , 



The matter was set at rest, however, in 1898 when moths reared 

 from sugarcane in the Indian Museum were sent home to Sir G. F. 

 Hampson for identification and was determined by him as Chilo 

 simplex^ Butler. 



Life history and description of the pest, -=The life history of this 

 destructive insect has not as yet been fully determined in India, but 

 many observations on its habits have been made and, excepting the 

 fact that it would appear to pass through the various stages of its 

 metamorphosis in shorter periods, it closely resembles, if it is not 

 identical in habits with its American confrere, D. saccharalis. The 

 life history of this latter was published by Dr. Riley in a Report of 

 the United States Department of Agriculture. 1 



1. Entomology, 1880, p. 240. 



