ffly Canadian Entomologist. 



VOL. XIII.  LONDON, ONT., OCTOBER, 1881. No. 10 



ANNUAL ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE 

 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF ONTARIO. 



To the Members of the Entomological Society 0/ Ontario . 



Gentlemen, — While Entomology may be said to deal with small 

 things, the abundance or scarcity of the tiny creatures Cidled insects 

 involves great issues. The truth of this statement has been illustrated 

 forcibly in several directions this year, notably in the case of the Angou- 

 mois wheat moth, which has played sad havoc among the stores of corn 

 and wheat in granaries in the South-western States. It is said to have 

 destroyed many thousand bushels of grain, and so widespread has the 

 evil become that it is the opinion of the New York Sun that if the Gov- 

 ernment or tiie farmers of America could at this time arrest the progress 

 of this insect by expending five millions of dollars, it would be the best 

 investment ever made by the people. 



The Angoumois grain moth, Butalis cerealella Oliv., is a small moth 

 the larva of which is very destructive to all sorts of grain. The female 

 lays her eggs on the grain sometimes in the field before it is fully ripened, 

 but more frequently in the bins in the granary. The eggs are of a bright 

 orange r;d color, and in a few days there i sue from them very minute 

 whitish-colored worms, scarcely thicker than a hair, which bore into the 

 grain and occupy it, one larva in each kernel. Each kernel contains 

 sufficient food to support one occupant until it reaches maturity, when it 

 changes to a chrysalis within the grain, which, although hollowed and 

 almost entirely consumed within, appears outwardly sound and plump. 

 On pressing between the fingers the grain is found to be soft and yielding, 

 and when dropped into water it floats on the surface. 



When the larva is full grown it spins a white silken cocoon, which 

 occupies one end of the cavity within the grain, the other end being filled 

 with the castings of the worm. The moth makes its escape through a 

 small round hole in the side of the grain, which the larva cuts with its 

 jaws before spinning its cocoon. When preparing this orifice for the 



