THE ENTOMOLOGY OF THE GRASS-TREES 
(XANTUORRH(EA}. 
Bv Walter W. Froggatt. 
(Plate IX.) 
Four species of Xanthorrhxea are recorded from the County of 
Cumberland, within the limits of which all my entomological 
specimens have been collected; as their general structure is 
similar, it is not sui'prising that the same species of insects are 
to be found frequenting all four alike. 
At first sight a grass-tree might not appear to be a profitable 
field for investigation by the entomologist; yet whether alive or 
dead it is the home of a considerable number of interesting 
insects, some of which are born and die in it, while others are 
only passing visitors. A grass-ti'ee presents three distinct parts, 
each with its special frequenters; fii'st the stout cylindrical stem 
or trunk, generally two or three feet high, and consisting of a 
tubular sheath compos'ed of the basal portion of the fallen leaves 
matted together into a solid ring, and thickly impregnated with 
the yellow resinous gum, and in which nothing lives; this encloses 
the caudex, composed of close fibrous matter, which in a living 
tree contains nothing, but after death it decays very rapidly, and 
soon becomes the abode of much insect life, for which the outer 
covering or sheath forms a protection. Secondly, there is the 
coarse grass-like foliage which is the resort of many small beetles, 
spiders, cfec, which lurk about the bases of the stalks; it is also 
eaten by several beetles and is visited by others. Thirdly, the 
flower-stalk and scape which both alive and dead furnishes food 
or a home to certain beetles, bees, and ants. 
As the grass-trees generally thrive best in poor sandy country 
covered with low scrub, great numbers are scorched up by the 
bush fires every season. It is in such burnt patches that most 
of the grass-trees examined by me occurred. 
BY WALTER W. FKO(i(;ATT. ( 
COLEOPTERA. 
MicROPCEciLA BREWEin, Jauson. 
Larva about H~ inches in length; white, rather elongate and 
cylindrical; head reddish-brown, rugose, rounded behind, slightly 
impressed in the centre with a wavy line running across on either 
side to the base of the antennse; stout black jaws armed with 
three .small blunt teeth; a broad elongate brown patch on either 
side of the first thoracic segment, above the first spiracle; legs 
long, covered with long ferruginous hairs; thoracic segments and 
first seven abdominal segments furrowed into three ridges covered 
with short dark spiny bristles, together with a transverse I'ow of 
longer hairs across the tip; 8th segment smooth and shining, 
covered with scattered short spines, and tinged with blue from 
the internal food, the anal segment rounded at the tip. 
Beetle lOi^ lines in length, all the underside, legs, head, the 
centre of the thorax and elytra smooth, shining black, with a 
broad marginal band encircling the thorax and elytra dee]) orange 
yellow; sides of the wing-covers showing shallow punctured 
parallel strise. 
Near Hornsby I obtained a large number of larvfe early in 
Jul)' fi'om a patch of dead grass-trees in which they were living 
in the rich black vegetable mould into wliich the inner portion 
of the caudex had been transformed l)y the action of the weather 
and their jaws. Towards the beginning of May they began to 
form earthy oval cocoons on the bottom of the tin, where they 
remained until the end of Noveml^er, when the beetles began to 
come out. 
The beetles are found with many others feeding upon the 
flowers of the dwarf Angophora. 
CiSSEIS 12-MACULATA, Fab. 
T have never found the larva of this pretty little buprestid, 
and do not know anything about its life-history, but the beetle 
is common about Sydney in early summer, feeding upon the 
10 THE ENTOMOLOGY OP THE (JRASS-TUEES, 
leaves, clasping the foliage with its legs, but dropping to the 
ground at the least alarm. 
Beetle 5 linens in length, with the head bright metallic green, 
thorax and elj^tra of a much darker tint, the whole deeply and 
closely punctured; sides of the thorax ornamented with a pale 
buff patch on either side, with four transverse ruws of the same 
coloured oval spots, the first and last containing two and the 
middle ones four each; undersurface of a bright metallic green, 
with a patch of buff below the hind legs, and at the margin of 
each abdominal segment. 
Tkigonotarsus rugosus, Boisd. 
(Plate IX., figs. 1-3.) 
Larva with smooth castaneous head; thoracic segments pale 
reddish-brown and not more than lialf as thick as the centre of 
the pale yellow abdominal ones, which are generally arched up 
behind the head; length in repose about an inch, but when 
moving about it extends its body half as far again; thoracic 
segments rather flattened upon the dorsal surface, with the 
abdominal ones of a uniform length and very much wrinkled; 
anal one terminating with two short truncate tubercles of a 
reddish-brown colour, with several smaller ones round them. 
The larva? bore holes into the fibrous caudex near the bottom 
of the trunk of the grass-tree, where they must feed for some 
time, as I have taken the larva", pupa*, and beetles in the same 
tree about the middle of the year. 
Pupa 14 lines in length, white to dull yellow in colour; snout 
very thick, and curved straight down over the breast, both it and 
the rest of the head lightly clothed with stout bristles, which 
also extend over the sides of the thorax; wing-cases drawn round 
the shoulders, short, and rounded at the tips, and deeply and 
regularly striated; thoracic segments bearing a transverse ridge 
of coarse irregular spines across the centre of each segment 
except the anal one, which is ornamented with a crescent-shaped 
mark turning downwards, clothed with a few scattered hairs. 
BY WALTER W. FROOGATT. /7 
Beetle is IG lines in length, stout and rather flattened on the 
hack, of a uniform hlack colour, with the broad head and thorax 
finely rugose, the elytra being deeply ridged with regular punctured 
stria3. The curious form of the tips of the tibise which terminate 
in a long slender spine projecting beyond the tarsi enables it 
if touched to cling very tightly to anything when laid upon its 
back . 
ACANTHOLOPHUS MARSH AMI, Kirby. 
This is the common Amycterid about the neighbourhood of 
Sydney. Most of the members of this large genus live upon the 
grass, but this one climbs up the leaves of the grass-tree, and 
clinging round them gnaws pieces out. 
Beetle slightly under an inch in length; of a sooty-brown 
colour; the head stout, an angular spine on either side between 
the antennpe, a stout double pointed knob in front of each eye, 
and the antenme and mouth parts hairy; thorax i-ather oval, 
tlattened on the summit but very rugose, with three stout conical 
spines along the outer margins, and two irregular lines of shorter 
ones divided by the stout median suture; legs stout, with tibiai 
and tarsi hairy; elytra broad, flattened on the summit, the sides 
transversely corrugated, the upper margins ornamented with an 
irregular line of large conical spines and numerous smaller ones 
covering the whole of the back; abdominal plates beneath covered 
with fine silvery scales or hairs. 
Tranes sp. 
Beetle 6 lines in length, all black; head small; snout long and 
stout; antennae thick at the tip; thorax rounded in front, the 
sides flattened on the summit and thickly covered with fine 
circular punctures; legs short and strong; dark ferruginous, with 
the tarsi lighter coloured; elytra much broader than thorax, which 
is arched slightly in front, flattened on the back, and thickly 
ribbed with parallel deeply punctuate striae. 
This beetle is not very common; it occurs towards the base of 
the flower stalk and the young leaves. My specimens were 
obtained from trees at the Hawkesbury. 
78 THE KNTOMOLOC.Y OF THE GRASS-TREES, 
Symphvletes solandri, Fabr. 
The life-history of tliis tine longicorn is given by me in detail 
in the Proceedings of this Society (Vol. ix. (2), p. 115, 1894). 
Though not generally a very common beetle unless in an excep- 
tional season, it is one that is very easily bred from infested 
flowerstalks if kept in a box. 
Xantholinus erythropterus, Erichs. 
(Plate IX., figs. 4-5.) 
Larva slendei", flattened, 7h lines in length, with the head, 
prothorax, and legs ferruginous, the rest of the thoracic and all 
the abdominal segments pale yellow, lightly fringed with hairs; 
head longer than broad, rounded behind, and armed with long 
slender black jaws; antenna? 4-jointed, 2nd and 3rd joints long, 
slender, and swollen at the apex, 4th shorter and rounded at the 
tip; prothorax rounded in front, truncate behind, both head and 
thorax with a slight median suture; legs short and thick, with 
slender tarsal claws; abdominal segments uniform with meta- 
thoi'ax, the anal one tapering to the tip and armed with a slender 
hairy appendage on either side. 
Pupa is a tightly swathed ferruginous bundle, the thoracic 
portion forming a roof-like covering over the turned down head, 
the legs in front, the hind pair forming a rounded projection in 
front of the upper abdominal segments, which are round and 
cylindrical to the tip. 
Beetle six lines in length, all smooth, shining, black, except 
the wing covers, which are bright reddish-brown; head rounded, 
much broader than the thorax, deeply impressed above the long 
sickle-shaped jaws, and lightly fringed in front with reddish 
hairs; antennse with brownish pubescence, the terminal joint of 
palpi ferruginous; thorax broadest in front, sloping on either side, 
and rounded at apex, lightly fringed with blackish hairs; legs 
short and spined, thickly covered with blackish hairs; elytra 
finely punctuate, broadest at apex, truncate; abdomen rather 
BY WALTER W. FROGGATT. 79 
short, thickly fringed and lightly covered upon both sides with 
long blackish hairs; first four segments of uniform size, fifth 
nearly twice as wide and tapering to the small anal segment. 
The larvfe are plentiful in spring between the sheath and the 
caudex, preying upon the many minute creatures attracted by the 
decaying matter. Like others of the Staphylinidce, the beetles 
are ver}' active, and are found in the same stumps with the 
larvcv; the pupa bred out in the Museum under glass in some 
damp earth. 
HoLOLEPETA SI XENSis, Marsham 
This is one of the commonest beetles found in the top of the 
decaying caudex, or between it and the outer sheath. Though I 
have examined great numbers of the stems at all seasons of the 
year, I have never come across the larval or pupal forms. 
Beetle half an inch in length, smooth, shining black, broad and 
flat; the head armed in front with two curved stout pointed horns 
projecting in front of the eyes and touching at the tips, hollowed 
out in front at base of horns, with an excavation behind the 
eyes, and a small blunt spine on the side; thorax with a faint 
impressed line in the centre, and along the outer edges slightly 
pitted with small punctures; elytra without any punctures, but 
a slender purse-like cavity on either margin caused by the edge 
of the elytra turning upwards; chitinous plates covering the apex 
of the abdomen impressed with larger rounded punctures on their 
edges: underside except the central plate between the legs also 
finely punctured. 
I have never collected this species any where else, though others 
in the north are often found crawling on tree trunks. 
Platysoma sp. 1 
This beetle evidently passes through all its transformations in 
the decaying caudex, but after examining a great number of 
plants in all stages of decay, and at all seasons of the year, I 
have never been able to identify the larva, though once or twice 
I have found the pupa Just ready to turn into the perfect insect, 
luji LIBRA R Y 
80 THE ENTOMOLOGY OF THK GRASS-TREES, 
from whicli it only differs in colour, being dull white. The beetles 
are often very numerous, twenty or thirty being obtained from 
one stump. 
Beetle 1^ lines in length, broad and oval, black and shining; 
head small, round in front; thorax smooth, truncate behind; 
elytra smooth in the centre, with four very distinct strife on each 
side, and truncate at the apex; the tip of the abdomen sloping 
downwards. 
Allecula subsulcata (?), Macl. 
Larva is a typical heteromerous wire worm; slender, cylindrical, 
smooth, and shining, about an inch in length, of a uniform ochreous 
colour; head and tip of the abdomen ferruginous, and an apical 
narrow band round the abdominal segments dark brown; head 
small, rounded in front, with slender sickle-shaped jaws, short 
antennse, and long drooping palpi; legs are comparatively long, 
with slender tarsal claws. 
They are very active little creatures, living in the rich black 
mould left by the decaying caudex; sometimes they are very 
numerous; common in July and August. 
Pupa pale yellow, short and angular, with the head drawn down 
over the thorax, antennje curling round under the fore legs, and 
coming over the hind ones, labial palpi projecting over the fore 
legs and showing the peculiar axe-shaped terminal joint; outer 
edges of the abdominal segments flanged and finely serrate, the 
anal one terminating in two fine spines, wing cases short and 
wrinkled. 
Beetle 7 lines in length, all black, except the last three joints 
of antennte and last two joints of the tarsi, which are pale 
ferruginous; head and thorax closely and finely punctured; 
antennae 11-jointed, long, slender, and cylindrical, 2nd joint very 
short, 3rd longest, apical joint of the labial palpi large and axe- 
shaped; legs long, apex of tibia? and the tarsi clothed with fine 
reddish hairs; elytra rugose and deeply grooved with parallel striae, 
thickly and deeply punctured; all the ventral surface closely 
punctured. 
BY WALTER W. FR0C3GATT. 81 
The beetles began to emerge from the earth, in which the larv« 
had buried themselves, about the middle of November. 
They are often found in the summer time hiding among the 
dead leaves among the bushes or clinging to the twigs. 
HYMENOPTERA. 
Lestis bombiliformis, Smith. 
This beautiful carpenter bee forms its nest in the flower stalks 
of the grass-trees found about Sydney, after they have borne the 
flower and have become dry and hard. It begins by boring a cir- 
cular hole, 3^ lines in diameter, about three or four feet up the stalk, 
in towards the centre, when it turns downwards, excavating 
nearh^ all the pith out for a distance of about four inches down, 
then working upwards, so that the tunnel is about eight inches 
from end to end, with an average of half an inch in diameter. 
The cells are made about half an inch in length, with a ball of 
bee-bread and an egg deposited in the far end, each being 
partitioned off from the other by a stout pad or wad of triturated 
pith. I have never found the whole length of the chamber filled 
with bee larvae, a space being usually left unoccupied in the 
centre. 
Larva a dull white-coloured grub of cylindrical shape, attenuated 
towards both extremities, about half an inch in length when full 
grown. They can be found in all stages about November. 
(J. Bee 7^ lines in length, bright metallic green, with the face 
yellow, eyes brown; antennae, ocelli, and mouth parts black, sides 
of the face, back of head, thorax and legs thickly covered with 
short golden yellow hairs, with three dark parallel bars of blackish 
hairs crossing the centre and on either side; above the Avings 
clouded with brown, covered with fine brown spots over the 
marginal cells, and having fine metallic purple iridescence; upper 
surface of the abdominal segments finely rugose, without hairs; 
under surface covered with dark brown hairs, the tip with black. 
Q. Bee 9 lines in length, of a brilliant metallic blue colour, 
with the abdominal segments showing coppery tints, face and 
6 
82 THE ENTOMOLOGY OF THE GRASS-TREES. 
head behind the eyes covered with greyish white hairs, thorax, 
legs, and under surface of abdomen thickly clothed with black 
hairs except the sides of the anal segments, which are fringed 
with white hairs; wings darker than in the male. 
Mr. F. Smith gave a short account* of the habits of this bee, 
communicated to him by Mr. Ker, who stated that it inhabited 
the hollow stem of a Zamia or grass tree, the entrance to the 
tube being rounded like the mouth of a flute. 
DoLiCHODERUS DORi^, Emery. 
These ants are very common about Hornsby, and are very fond 
of the sweet sugary lerp formed upon the leaves of the Eucalypts 
by the larvje of several species of Psylla, so that where the lerp 
is plentiful the leaves are often covered with them, all intent upon 
the enjoyment of their sweet food. They form their nest between 
the caudex and dry outer sheath of the dead and dry grass trees, 
often in such numbers that the cavity between the caudex and 
the outer mass is a living mass of ants. 
Ant 9, 4 lines in length, head and thorax black, very rugose, 
the latter armed with a pair of stout spines projecting in front of 
the pro thorax, with a similar pair at the base of the metathorax, 
longer and pointing downwards; antennae and legs ferruginous, 
the node short but stout; abdomen black, covered with a brownish 
pubescence, heart-shaped, hollowed out in front down the centre, 
with the outer margins rounded and forming regular rounded tips. 
Iridomyrmex gracilis, Lowne. 
A small slender black ant that makes its nest in the dead 
flower stalks of the trees, hollowing out the interior in irregular 
parallel passages, a large nest of them often occupying the whole 
stalk. 
9. Ants are under 3 lines in length, pitchy brown, with very 
long slender legs covered with a very fine grey pubescence; head 
* Notes on the Habits of Australian Hymenoptera, Trans. Ent. Soc. 
London, Vol. i. (2nd ?er.) p. 179, 1850. 
BY WALTER W. FHOGGATT. 83 
large, smooth, and shining, truncate at the base, and rounded 
towards the jaws; thorax narrow, smooth and shining; abdomen 
short, rounded and pointed towards the tip. 
DIPTERA. 
Orthoprosopa nigra, Macq. 
(Plate IX., figs. 6-8.) 
Larva 8 lines in length, dirty white to brownish, rounded at 
the head, widest about the centre, tapering towards the tip of 
abdomen which is produced into a stout horny ochreous appendage 
truncate at the tip and armed at the base with a short fleshy 
spine on either side. 
The maggots, frequently in great numbers, are found living in 
the slime and putrid water which accumulates between the outer 
shell and the caudex of the dead stem, about midwinter; numbers 
kept under observation remained about six weeks before changing 
into pupje. The latter were simply the skin of the maggot 
hardened into a brown oval case covered with particles of earth 
attached to it, and the anal appendage shortened and retracted. 
This handsome fly (one of the Syrphidce) is 7 lines in length, 
shining black, with the antennfe and face bright yellow; thorax 
covered with a very short fine blackish down and ornamented 
with a pair of rounded naked black spots in the centre; wings 
slightly fuscous, legs black; abdomen stoutest at the base, rounded 
towards the tip. 
Orthoprosopa sp. 
(Plate IX., figs. 9-11.) 
Larva dirty white, 10 lines in length, but able to I'etract or 
extend its segments considerably; head rather truncate in front, 
with the sides round, narrow, with segments of uniform size, 
tapering towards the tip which is produced into a slender fleshy 
tail; two-thirds of the length of the whole of the body terminating 
in a slender horny tube or spine, truncate at the tip. 
84 THE ENTOMOLOGY OP THE GRASS-TKEES, 
The larvjB live in the decaying wood and putrid water that has 
accumulated between the caudex and the sheath, crawling about 
mixed up with the maggots of the last described species, sometimes 
in considerable numbers. Specimens kept in a damp jar pupated 
among the rotten wood at the bottom about three weeks after they 
were taken. Pupa case light brown, covered with bits of dirt; 
the apex and sides rounded, oval, with the long slender anal 
segment produced into a slender tube curving sharply round, and 
retaining the anal tube at the tip. 
Fly 5 lines in length, steely blue, thorax and abdomen smooth 
and shining; face and antennae covered with fine hairs, the latter 
short with the last segment oval and flattened, ornamented with 
a fine bristle; legs piceous, covered with fine hairs; wings hyaline, 
very slightly clouded. 
Ephippium albitarsis C?), Bigot. 
(Plate IX., figs. 12-13.) 
Larva 8 lines in length, 2 in width, varying from greyish- 
brown to black; head much narrower, slender, horny, broadest at 
the base, sloj^ing up to a truncate tip, with an eye-like spot on 
either side, and several short bristles along the sides, the mouth 
concave; thoracic and abdominal segments broad, convex on both 
dorsal and ventral surfaces, the hind margin of the first five 
sloping back, first arcuate behind the head, narrow, the following 
ones gradually increasing in size to the fourth, and of a uniform 
width to the ninth, tenth smaller, the last spatulate, with a round 
impression on the dorsal surface; outer margins of each segment 
fringed with two long bristles, a few scattered ones over the 
dorsal surface. 
The pupa undergoes its transformation in the larval skin, the 
fly emerging from the base of the head. They are plentiful in 
decaying stems between the caudex and sheath, living among the 
rotten matter, and are very sluggish in their habits. Specimens 
I collected remained among some rotten wood and mould for 
BY WALTER VV. PROGGATT. 85 
;il)out three months before the flies began to emerge about the 
end of September. 
Fly varying from ih to 3 Unes in length, all black except the 
white tarsi; head broad, rugose between the eyes; antennae 
spindle-shaped, pointed towards the tips, standing straight out, 
without any terminal bristle; thorax rounded in front, broadest 
about the middle, finely granulated on the dorsal surface; scutel- 
lum almost square, the apical edge having a short spine on either 
side; legs stout; wings dusky, nervures black, the wings creased 
in the centre and folded down over the tip of the abdomen; the 
latter constricted at the base, large and round, finely granulated, 
with the apical segments turning downwards, and the extreme 
tip truncate. 
This is a typical form of the family Strati omyiicke, and is, I 
believe, identical with Bigot's C. alhitarsis, one of the few described 
Australian species. 
Another very pretty little fly also lives in the rotten caudex, the 
larvfe of which I have never observed, but have bred several from 
the pupaj, which are oval brown cases covered with particles of 
earth, the front broadest, with a cylindrical short truncate spine 
on either side, standing out like a little horn, the apical tip rather 
pointed. 
The fly, which belongs to the family Trypetince, is often found 
upon the leaves, moving its wings up and down (as many members 
of this family do when resting), but is very hard to catch ; 
common in November. 
Fly 3 lines in length; head black, narrow; last joint of the 
antennae large and circular, terminated with a stout bristle; head 
and thorax hairy, the latter steely blue; scutellum large, yellow, 
with black markings on the apical edge which is truncate and 
fi'inged with hairs; legs long, pale yellow; wings hyaline, thickly 
mottled with irregular black blotches over the apical half; abdo- 
men broad, heart-shaped, pale ochreous yellow, rounded on dorsal 
surface, with a curious imprinted brown mark in centre; thin 
and flat on the underside, tinged with black towards the tip, and 
tufted with silvery white hairs on the sides. 
86 THE ENTOMOLOGY OF THE GRASS-TRtES, 
LEPIDOPTERA. 
Aphomia latro, Zeller. 
Larva half an inch in length, dark brown to l)lack upon the 
dorsal surface, with lighter parallel stripes down the centre of 
back, and along each side; head large, smooth, shining, and 
divided in the centre by a suture; prothorax rounded and large; 
other thoracic segments uniform with the abdominal ones; legs 
moderately stout, with small pointed tarsal claws; ventral surface 
pale yellow. 
The larvje live in small communities, feeding upon the scape 
of the flower stalk, gnawing up all the undeveloped Vjuds, which 
become matted together with their loose web. They move about 
very rapidly, and pupate on the flower head, forming elongate 
white silken cocoons. 
Pupa long and slender, reddish-brown, with the wing-cases 
curving round in front and covering the first five segments; a 
raised ridge running down the centre of back; anal segment 
armed with a number of short conical spines. 
Moth 1| inches across the wings, which are long and slender, 
and rounded at the tips; creamy buff colour shot with fine black 
spots, and divided down the centre with a broad parallel stripe 
of white. Hind wings silvery grey, thickly fringed with long 
semi-opaque hairs along the tips and lower margin; body slender, 
apical segments darkest. 
Mr. Ernest Anderson, who identified this species for me, says 
that it is common in Victoria, where it also feeds upon grass-trees 
and stems of rushes. Bred in the Museum al)out the end of 
October, from infested flowers received from the Curator. 
HOMOPTER.A.. 
AsPlDlOTUS ROSSI, Mask. 
The foliage is often quite discoloured with the number of black 
scales (adult females) infesting the leaves, often overlapping each 
other like a lot of oyster shells. 
BY WALTER W. FROGGATT. 87 
Chioxaspis eugenic, Mask. 
I found this scale very plentiful upon the leaves of a patch of 
grass-trees last March at Botany, but it is more generally found 
upon Lejjtosjjermum, Melaleuca, and Eugenia. The adult female 
coccids are pale yellow at the tip, with the long slender test 
pearly white, and are attached along the outer edge of the under- 
surface of the leaves. 
EXPLANATION OF PLATES. 
Trigonotarsus rugoHun, Boisd. 
Fig. \. — Larva (nat. size). 
Fig. 2. — Larva — front view of head (enlarged). 
Fig. 3. — Pupa (nat. size). 
Xantholinus erythropterui-,, Erichs. 
Fig. 4. — Larva (enlarged). The line beside shows the length. 
Fig. 5. — Pupa (enlarged). The line beside shows the length. 
Orthoprosopa nigrn, Macq. 
Fig. 6. — Larva (enlarged). 
Fig. 7. — Pupa (enlarged;. 
Fig. 8. — Fly (enlarged). 
Orthoprosopa sp. 
Fig. 9. — Larva ^enlarged). 
Fig. 10. — Pupa (enlarged). 
Fig. IL— Fly (enlarged). 
Ephippmm albitarsin (?), Bigot. 
Fig. 12. — Larva (much enlarged). 
Fig. 13. —Fly (enlarged).