Part III.] Beeson : Beehole Borer of Teak. 
47 
In two cases only were remains of ceramicus larvae recovered [6th May 
1914, Hsipaw; June 1918, Bondaung]; both birds were Tickell’s 
Goldenbacked woodpecker, Chrysocolaptes gutticr [status. All other 
stomachs examined contained insect remains, e.g., Formicidae, Oecophylla 
smaragdina , Camponotus compressus, Monomorium sp.; Apidae, Apis 
indica, Melipona sp., globules of bees-wax; Buprestidae, beetles and 
larvae; Longicornia, larvae and pupae; Termitidae; Lepidoptera, 
defoliating caterpillars ; etc., and large quantities of fruits of Ficus. Of 
insects ants are by far the commonest food. There are, however, several 
sizes of hole made by woodpeckers into a beehole, the smallest and 
average of which might be made by a bird of the size of Chrysocolaptes 
or Tiga , but the largest sizes are of such dimensions that only the great 
Slaty Woodpecker, Hemilophus pulverulentus , can be responsible for 
them. 
Importance as controlling agents .—The conspicuous appearance of 
the work of woodpeckers has naturally created for these birds a reputation 
as important natural checks on the numbers of the borer, but has also 
caused them to be considered as serious pests of teak timber. 
As Stebbing states [1905, p. 14] “ although these birds are present in 
the forest in the guise of friends, their attacks on the trees are to be 
feared almost as much as those of the insects,” and [ l.c ., p. 18] “ in the 
interest of the timber it cannot be held that the bird counterbalances the 
evil it does by the number of insects it destroys.” The following figures 
give a different aspect and possibly truer indication of the economic 
importance of woodpeckers with relation to the beehole borer. 
Table 4. — Incidence of Woodpecker Attack on Beeholes , Burma 
1918-19. 
Locality. 
Number of 
Beeholes. 
Number of 
Woodpecker’s 
Holes. 
Percentage of 
Woodpecker 
Attack. 
Bilumyo, Katha 
21 
6 
350 
Petsut, Katha 
222 
39 
17-6 
Konbilin, Tharrawaddy . 
Mohnyin, Katha— 
25 
4 
160 
(a) plantation . 
117 
11 
91 
(6) natural forest 
24G 
20 
8-1 
Bondaung, South Toungoo 
65 
7 
10-9 
Kaing, Pyinmana . 
5G 
G 
10-7 
Yanaungmyin, Pyinmana (a) . 
175 
8 
4-5 
Ditto Ditto (6) . 
412 
9 
21 
Okkyi, Shwegu 
603 
40 
6*6 
Pyonchaung, North Toungoo . 
225 
2 
1-0 
Total 
2,167 
152 
7-0 
* 
[ 275 ] 
