76 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, 



ACORN INSECTS. 



By WM. HAMPTON PATTON. 



The Acorn Weevil. 



The following- species of Balaninus have been bred from acorns: 

 uniformis, nasicus, caryce, rectus, quercus, coccinece. 



From hickory-nuts have been bred : carytz, -and doubtfully 

 other species. 



From hazel-nuts has been bred : obtusus (the nasicus of Har- 

 rington. 



From chinquepin and chestnut have been bred : rectus and 

 proboscideus (caryatrypes) . [ ' 'Insect Life, ' ' iv. ] 



Blanchard's Table (1884) may be abbreviated as follows : 



First funicle joint longer than second. 

 Female beak long as body or longer. 



Appendix of claws broad, rectangular obtusus. 



Appendix of claws acute, narrow uniformis. 



Female beak shorter than body (two-thirds or three-fourths). 

 Femoral tooth with outer edge oblique. 



Scales beneath oval nasicus. 



Scales beneath hair-like caryae. 



Femoral tooth with outer edge perpendicular. 



Thorax of female longer than wide rectus. 



Thorax of female not longer than wide quercus. 



First funicle joint shorter than second caryatrypes. 



From the table is omitted Balaninus coccinea; (North Am. Ent. , 

 i, 1879, fig".). A specimen found at Hartford, Conn., has the 

 beak short and a quadrangular fulvous area on disc of thorax. 

 Other specimens ovipositing on Q. coccintz have the beak much 

 longer than body. Yet others are dark and with short beak. 



Balaninus uniformis Lee. (body uniformly pale tawny, the 

 beak as long as the body) I have bred from acorns of Quercus 

 macrocarpa. The eggs, laid within the acorns the middle of 

 September are short-oval, smooth and of a whitish color. The 

 punctures are either through the cupule into the acorn or are 

 through the shell of the acorn above the cupule. The usual 

 crescent-shaped slit is made upon the kernel within the acorn 

 even when the punctures appear externally to be merely small 

 round dots. The result of the puncture is a decayed spot nearly 

 a quarter of an inch in diameter containing the egg. The larvae 

 leave the acorns in November and remain about three inches be- 



