(!ilti> Cctttnitmit (bixttxitutlxtgist 



Vol. LIII. GUELPH, AUGUST, 1921. No. « 



POPULAR AND PRACTICAL ENTOMOLOGY. 



The Cabbage Seed Stalk Weevil (Ceutorhynchus Quadridens Panzer) 



An Important Pest of Cabbage Seed Plants on Long Island. 



by i. h. vogel,* 

 Cornell University, Ithaca, iN. Y. 

 The cabbage seed stalk weevil is a European insect. Panzer (1796)^ first 

 described the species. Goureau (1866)- found the larvae living within the roots 

 of rape. Perris (IS//)-* reported water cress and mustard as host plants for 

 the larvae. Lind et al (1914)'' found it occurring comparatively common in seed 

 cauliflower and turnip in Denmark. According to Redtenbacher' it occurs on 

 rape in Austria and Bargagli" reports it on the flowers of horse radish and 

 cabbage. 



Slingerland (1894)^ reported it first in the United States as infesting 

 cabbage seed stalks on Long Island. It was later reported^ from Nantuckett, 

 !• I r--:,- husetts. Sirrine (1895)-^ observed it on seed plants of kale, cabbage and 

 turnip on Long Island. Specimens were sent to Dietz who described it as a new 

 species {Ceutorhynchus scriesctosiis). Chittenden (1901)^ identified specimens 

 for Slingerland as C. quadridens Panzer. Schwartz later confirmed this iden- 

 tification. 



There is little information in literature regarding the life history of this 

 insect.. Slingerland (1894)^ reared adults from larvae found in cabbage seed 

 stalks. These adults are the same as were later identified by Chittenden (Pre- 

 served in Cornell University Entomological Collection). 



During the season of 1920 the author had the opportunity to observe 

 this seed stalk weevil in the cabbage fields in the vicinity of Mattituck. Long 

 Island, N. Y. Eggs were found first in the field on May 18th. They were 

 deposited on the under side of the mid-rib of young and old cabbage leaves. Nearly 

 every plant contained eggs. No larvae were found at this time. Although 

 egg laying continued until May 26th the method of oviposition was not observed. 

 The eggs were laid in punctures, the number in each puncture varying from 

 three to seven. The tissue surrounding the puncture makes very rapid growth, 

 thus forming a very conspicuous scar. The eggs are white, elliptical and 

 about one millimeter in length. Each egg has at one end a slender pedicel which 

 is about one-half millimeter in length. This attachment of the egg is very 



J Faunae Germanicae, Heft 36, p. 13, 1796. 



2 Annales de la Societe Entomologique de France, Vol. vi., p. 171-172, 1866. 



."ilLarves de Coleopteres, 1877, p. 408. 



i 79 Beretning fra iStaten Forsogsvirksamdid i Plantkulture Copenhagen, No. 30, 



1914. 

 s Fauna Austriaca, Vol. 11, p. 344. 

 6 Ibid, page 264. 



1 Cornell Agr. Exp. Sta. Bulletin 78. 1894. 



2 Transactions of American Entomological Society 1896, p 422. 

 5 New York Agr. Exp. Sta. Rept. 1896, p. 603. 



i Notes of Slingerland. Cornell University Exp. No. 455. 

 ♦Contribution from the Entomological Laboratory, Cornell University. 



