Aularches miliaris, L.
Kirby, F. I. Acrid., pp. 168-169 ; S. Ind. Ins. p. 526, f. 418 ; Proc. Second Entl . Meeting, pp. 28, 77, 200.
Aul. punctatus, Drury ; Kby., F. I. Acrid., pp. 169-170, f. 112.
Aul. scabiosae, Fb. ; Kby., F. I Acrid., p. 170.
Recorded from Nepal, Sikkim, Orissa, Bombay, Coonoor, Ceylon. We have it from the Shevaroys, Nilgiris, Vizagapatam and Coimbatore. It is found on coffee, coconut and Erythrina, but does little damage as a rule. According to Green, the form scabiosae has been found at Veyangoda (Ceylon) defoliatingErythrina, areca-nut, coconut and various shade trees. We have specimens of punctatus from Burdwan, on jute ; and Lashio (Upper Burma).
Kirby splits this up into three species, miliaris, punctatus and scabiosae, but it seems impossible to separate them satisfactorily.
AULARCHES MILIARIS, Linn.
Gryllus miliaris, Linn., Syst. Nat. (ed. X), 1, 432 (1758).
Phymaetus punctatus, Fab. ; Green, Perad. Circ. I, No. 9 (1898).
Aularches miliaris, Green, Perad. Circ. Ill, No. 16 ; Lefroy, Ind. Ins, Life, pp. 83-84
Distribution. — Shevaroys, Nilgiris, Vizagapatam and Coimbatore.
Lifehistory. — Eggs are laid in a mass in the ground in a hole, dug by the female, about 3 inches deep and half an inch in diameter. The grasshoppers usually collect in one place for coupling and egg-laying, the latter usually taking place under shade. The eggs hatch after about five months and the young hoppers take about five months to attain full growth.
Foodplants. — Coconut, Coffee, Erythrina.
Status. — This insect does little damage as a rule although often common in Coffee Districts.
Control-— The habit of the adults to congregate for the purpose of pairing and ovipositing may be utilized to destroy them in large numbers. The young hoppers on first hatching may also be collected and destroyed before they have time to do harm.
