a survey of beetles damaging commercially impotrtant ... - Icrisat.ac.in

IIMATERIALS AND METHODSThe study was made by visiting various Government Timber Depots inKerala and making observations and collections. Most timber depots inKerala were covered (Fig, 1 ); these included Kulathupuzha, Arienkavu,Areekkakavu, Quilon, Thenmala, Angamoozhi, (Southern region); Ernakulam,Mud ica I , Kothamanga lam, Veettoor, Tha lacode, Trichur, Cha la kudy, Kum i ly(Centra I reg ion) ; 0 lavakkode, Wa layar, Nedumgayam, Ka I lai, C ha I iyam,Nanjangode, Bavali and Kuppadi (Northern region). Each depot was visitedonce, but at different times of the year. Due to practical difficulties, asystematic survey of all the depots at simultaneous intervals could not bemade. In addition to the Government Timber Depots, storage yards andgodowns of private industries were also covered wherever possible. Theseincluded the Western India Plywoods, Baliyapattam, Gwalior Rayons,Mavoor, Punalur Paper Mills, Punalur and several Packing Case and Photo-frame industries in and around Ollur.During each visit to these timber depots all available timber specieswere examined for borer damage and short notes were taken on the natureof damage. Infested material was collected and taken to the laboratorywherever possible for further extraction of the insects and preparation of thematerial for identification. The identity of the timber was made from thedepot records.Identification was made from adult beetles except in the ease ofCerambycidae. The insects collected were properly set, mounted and labelled.Provisional identification was made by comparison with named specimensavailable in the collections of Forest Research Institute, Dehra Dun. Severalspecimens were identified by experts in the CIE and most specimens provisionallyidentified were examined by experts for confirmation of identity.Keys for easy identification wers made by using external characterschiefly elytral, pronotal and antennal structure. The key characters weresupplemented with illustrations. The illustrations were prepared free handafter examining the material under a stereoscopic microscope.The insects collected and identified in this survey are maintained inthe Entomolygy Division of KFRI.