BOSTRY CHIDiE. 
315 
being completed before the rains and a second brood commencing then ; 
this may be a hibernation brood or may emerge and yield a third or 
hibernation brood. In warmer parts 
of the plains there is no hibernation 
but it is not known whether there are 
then more than three broods. 
The family is of importance as it 
contains species which destroy cut 
timber or dry wood, as well as bam¬ 
boos ; in one species at least, stored 
grain and food products are attacked. 
The function in nature of these beetles 
is to clear away dead wood ; when 
these beetles attack furniture and cut 
wood, as well as bamboos, they are 
serious pests. The bamboo-boring 
species are extremely common in the 
plains but the remainder are almost , 
wholly forest insects and only found 
outside forest limits in dry wood. 
There are two special points about the bamboo-boring species that are 
worth note ; there is a general belief, not confined to India, that 
bamboos must be cut at certain phases of the moon or they will be 
attacked by Bostrychids ; this is probably connected with the rise and 
fall of sap, bamboos cut at one time containing less sap than those cut 
at another ; secondly it is a general custom to soak bamboos in water 
for a number of days, after which they are not attacked ; any one 
may observe the effect of this by using unsoaked bamboos in a roof ; 
they are attacked very heavily and almost at once, while soaked bam¬ 
boos are not; the explanation probably is that soaking removes not 
only sugar and soluble carbohydrates but also albumens, and leaves 
the bamboo without nutritious content. 
These beetles suffer from a considerable number of enemies, small 
beetles which invade their tunnels and attack them or their young. 
Histeridce of the genera Teretriosoma and Teretrius are found in their 
Fig. 194.—A. Scolytid, B. Bos- 
TRICHID ANTENNA. 
