Page:Life-histories of Indian insects - Microlepidoptera - T. Bainbrigge Fletcher.djvu/15

 LIFE-HISTORIES OF INDIAN INSECTS MICROLEPIDOPTERA. I. PTEROPHORID^. BY T. BAINBRIGGE FLETCHER, R.N., F.L.S., F.E.S., F.Z.S., Imperial Entomologist. [Received for publication on 27th June, 1919.] ' ; DIACROTRICHA FASCIOLA, ZELL. Diacrotricha fasciola, Zeller, Linn. Ent., VI, 399 (1852) (i) ; Meyr., T. E. S. 1907, 471 (1908) (2) ; Fletcher, Spolia Zeylan., VI, 31-32, t. A f. 6, t. F ff. 5, 6, 8 («). Diacrotricha callimeres (Meyr., ined.), Lefroy, Ind. Ins. Life, p. 528 (1909) (*). Originally described from Java (^>, this species is known to occur in India (2— *), Ceylon (2. 3) and the Kei Islands (New Guinea) (2). We have it from Galle (Ceylon), Gauhati and Pusa. It is probably widely distributed in India but has been overlooked. " Bred by Mr. H. Maxwell-Lefroy from pupae found on leaf of Averrhoa hilimhi ?, a tree of cultivation, so that it may be artificially spread " (2). These specimens were bred at Pusa from Averrhoa caramhola. " The short, stout, uniformly-coloured larva feeds on the flowers of the ' bilimbi tree ' {Averrhoa hilimhi). The larvae vary much in colour, hardly two being alike. Uniform yellowish-grey, pale yellow, pale greenish-yellow, pale green, pale pink, and red, are all common colours. (Plate F, figures 5 and 6) " (3). The young larva bores into flowers of A. caramhola at Pusa, the hole of entry being visible on the side of the imexpanded flower. '* The pupa is a very pretty object, being usually a bright light green (sometimes with black markings) with numerous fasciculated tufts of yellow spiny hairs. The sketch (Plate F, figure 8) gives a good idea of its general ( 1 )