No. 3.] Sugarcane. ifj 



penultimate whorl of leaves at the growing point of the shoot. The 

 female probably climbs down between the two outermost leaves, 

 posterior end foremost, and lays the eggs as low down as possible 

 where they are entirely hidden from view, the eggs being coated with 

 the "fur" from the mother's body to protect them from the ants 

 which pervade the canes. As soon as the young larva hatches, it 

 penetrates into the central shoot, which dies. 



Later on at Seeraha I found larvae, pupae and moths of S. auriflua 

 in all the five varieties of cane grown there. 



Dr. F. Moore in Lep. Cey. describes the moths thus : — 



''Silky-white. Wings without markings. Body white; abdomen with broad 

 cinereous-grey bands above and beneath anal tuft luteous [in the female only] ; 

 palpi and fore-legs with cinereous-grey bands. Expanse : 1*4 inch. " 



Zeller 's description I have not seen. Dr. Moore records it from 

 Calcutta as well as from Ceylon; there are specimens from Kushtea, 

 in Bengal, in the Museum, and I have found it in two places in the 

 Champaran District of Behar. In my specimens the male measures 

 i*o inch in expanse across the open wings, the female 1*3 to i'6 

 inches. Both sexes have the wings long and very narrow, and are 

 exactly like white satin, the cilia or fringes to the wings long, 

 especially those on the hind wing. The male is much smaller than 

 the female, especially the abdomen, which in the male has no large, 

 luteous or pale ferruginous tuft of hairs at the end ; the broad ashy- 

 grey bands on the abdomen are often wanting. As regards remedies 

 for this pestj it seems hopeless to search for the eggs, as they are 

 hidden away out of sight and are not at all conspicuous when found. 

 Cutting out affected canes and possibly catching the perfect moths in 

 trays of molasses, as recommended for C. simplex, seem to be the 

 only possible remedies to exterminate the pest. 



In July, 1 901, the Collector of Rangpur, Bengal, forwarded some 

 insects reported to be destructive to Sugarcane, together with a 

 copy of letter No. 356, dated 16th idem, from the District Engineer, 

 Rangpur. On examining them they proved to be larvae of S. auriflua . 

 The District Engineer writes : — 



" [ have the honour to state that another kind of insect called " Banga " is 

 destroying the sugarcane in the district. These insects attack the canes from 

 the top and go downwards, eating up the pith and then the flesh. It is said 

 that when drizzling rains continue for a few days these insects cease to attack the 

 canes in large numbers." 



A considerable number of large hymenopterous parasites were 

 bred in Calcutta from the larvae of S. auriflua sent to me in July by 

 Mr. Thorp of Sikta. One Bracon niceviliii, Bingh. has black 



