February, 1912.] 



123 Miscellaneous Useful Products, 



SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE ON THE 

 PROPOSED INTRODUCTION OF THE 

 LAC INSECT INTO CEYLON. 



By E. E. Green. 

 (Government Entomologist, Peradeniya.) 



Mr. Wickramaratue's paper gives, in a 

 concise foim, a useful account of lac 

 culture in India, and clearly shows that 

 —if established in Ceylon— it should 

 lead to a profitable industry peculiarly 

 adapted to the capabilities of the native 

 cultivator. When once the initial diffi- 

 culty of introducing the insect shall 

 have been overcome, I see no reason 

 why the culture of lac should not be 

 undertaken successfully in Ceylon. The 

 differences in our climate and tem- 

 perature are insignificant, though some 

 slight alteration of seasons may have to 

 be adopted. A very closely allied species 

 (possibly meiely a local race) of lac 

 insect already occurs in Ceylon. It fre- 

 quents more especially the 'Kon' tree 

 (Schleichera trijuga) ; but the same 

 species (Tachardia albizzioe) occurs— 

 though less frequently— upon the follow- 

 ing Ceylon trees :— 



Albizzia 



stipulata, ' Kabal-mara' ; (Indigenous) 

 bxlicium 



decipiens, ' Pehimbiya ' ; Do. 

 Croton euro- 



maticum, ' Keppitiya ' ; Do. 

 Harpullia 



cupanioides, ' Na-imbul ' ; Do. 

 Mangijera 



indica, ' Mango ' ; Do. 



Nephelium 



litchi, ' Litchi ' ; (Introduced) , 



Theobroma 



cacao, ' Cacao ' ; Do. 



and, probably, upon many other species. 

 Of the trees mentioned. Schleichera, Har- 

 pullia and Nephelium belong to the 

 same natural order (is'apindacece), and it 

 is probable that the insect would flourish 

 upon such allied species as Sapindus 

 erectus, ij. laurifolius ('Kahapenela'), 

 Nephelium longana (' Mora '), and Do- 

 Uonwa viscosa ('Eca-werella'), — all of 

 which are indigenous plants in Ceylon. 



Our Ceylon lac is already utilized 

 locally for the ornamentation of cere- 

 monial staves, native furniture, toys, 

 etc, ; but the industry is a very small 

 one, aud none of the product is exported. 

 Tachardia albizziai does not produce 

 such a plentiful incrustation of lac as 

 does the Indian form (T. lacca). It is 

 principally on this account that the 

 introduction of the Indian lac insect 



is desirable. My attention was early 

 directed to this subject, and repeated 

 unsuccessful attempts have been made 

 to import living lac insects from India. 

 These attempts date from the year 1900. 

 The failure has usually been attributable 

 to delay in transport, resulting in the 

 premature emergence and death of the 

 swarm of young insects. 



In July last, however, a consignment 

 of living brood lac, collected from ' Kon 

 trees, was received from the Forest 

 Officer, Raipur Division, India. The 

 insects were just commencing to swarm, 

 and the bundels of encrusted sticks 

 were immediately attached to branches 

 of ' Kon' trees (Schleichera) growing in 

 the Peradeniya Gardens. The young 

 larvae quickly migrated on to the living 

 branches and. formed dense clusters at 

 various points. The clusters, however, 

 gradually decreased in size, and no 

 growth of the individuals was observed. 

 Within two months the insects had 

 completely disappeared. A few sticks 

 were attached — as an experiment — to a 

 ' Peepul ' tree (ticus religiosa) and to 

 Filicium decipiens, with no better result. 



I can offer no explanation of this 

 failure. The insects were received in 

 good condition ; they were transplanted 

 on to trees of the same species from 

 which they had been collected in India ; 

 and the young insects successfully trans- 

 ferred themselves to the living branches 

 and showed good promise of establish- 

 ing themselves ; but no further develop- 

 ment occurred. The trees upon which 

 they were placed were infested by ' Red 

 Ancs ' ((Ecophylla), but these ants do not 

 usually prey upon Coceidse. On the 

 contrary, they are in the habit of con- 

 serving such insects for the sake of the 

 sweet liquid that they excrete, and 

 they might have been expected to assist 

 in the distribution of the young lac 

 insects. 



But such failures should not be 

 accepted as final. Repeated attempts will 

 surely prove that the difficulties are not 

 insuperable ; and the probable benefits 

 of the introduction should outweigh any 

 question of initial expense. It is possible 

 that the proposed efforts to inoculate 

 our 'Inga Saman ' trees may be more 

 successful. Should the transport of 

 living insects upon sections of branches 

 be again unsuccessful ; it may be possible 

 to import young trees upon which the 

 insects have been already established. 



Care should be taken to eliminate the 

 parasites that commonly attack the 

 insect in India, though similar parasites 

 already infest our local lac insect in 

 Ceylon; 



