REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 



169 



of any insects which might be found, made observations upon a much larger number 

 of species. This investigation was undertaken as a precautionary measure in case 

 some dangerous enemy might be introduced, and Prof. Eiley announces bis intention 

 of issuing a bulletin on the subject, covering at the same time other information 

 on insects affecting stored products. 



The' three insects mentioned above oc- 

 casionally cause slight damage to stored 

 grain in Canada, but they cannot be con- 

 sidered as serious enemies. The Granary 

 Weevils belong to two species, the Hiee 

 Weevil, Spotted Weevil or Black Weevil 

 of the South (Galandra oi-yzce, L.) and 

 the Common Granary Weevil (Calandra 

 granaria, L.) These are small, dark col- 

 oured, narrow beetles rather more than ^ 

 of an inch in length, with their heads pro- 

 longed into a slender snout. These insects, 

 both in the grub state and as perfect beetles, 

 sometimes destroy considerable quantities 

 Fig. 8. -9 Rice Weevil. 7 Common Granary Weevil, of grain in granaries. The eggs are laid 



in holes which the females bore in dry grain with their slender beaks. After 

 hatching, the young grubs feed on the contents of the kernel where the e^yg was 

 laid, complete their growth and turn to beetles inside the same grain, which does not 

 show any sign of injury until the beetle emerges, when it is found that the greater 

 part of the inside has been consumed. The beetles themselves do even more harm 

 than the grubs, for they also feed on the grain and live for a long time, so that in 

 hot climates, when grain is kept in store for a length of time, the injury may be 

 considerable; but in Canada the cold of our winters 8toj)S the development and 

 destroys the mature beetles if exposed to it. 



The Grain Moth (Gelechia cerealella, Oliv.). This insect is better kown as the 

 Angoumois Grain Moth but is also called in the South, the Fly Weevil. It has been 

 treated of by various entomologists. Prof. Howard E. Weed {Bulletin 17, Missis- 

 sippi Exp. Station) says: — "The first extensive account of the habits of this insect 

 was given in 1736 by E^aumur, a French naturalist, who found it very destructive 

 to barley at Lu§on (France). In 1760 it was very destructive to wheat in the 

 Province of Angoumois, and Harris states that, 'The afflicted inhabitants were 

 thereby deprived not only of their principal staple wherewith they were wont to pay 

 their annual rents, their taxes .and their tithes, but were threatened with famine 

 and pestilence from the want of wholesome food.' Two members of the Paris Aca- 

 demy of Sciences were commissioned by the French Government to visit the pro- 

 vince of Angoumois to investigate the habits of this insect and since the publication 

 of their report the insect has received the popular name of the 'Angoumois Grain 

 Moth.' The first record of the appeai-ance of this insect in America was in 1768." 



The Grain Moth has nevei- developed in Canada even to the same 

 extent as the Granary Weevils, although occasional instances of its occur- 

 rence have been brought to my notice. In the Southern States, where 

 it is very abundant, the moths fly from the granaries and lay their eggs 

 upon the ripe grain in the fields; the eggs or young caterpillars are thus 

 carried back into the granary and great loss frequently ensues. This never 

 takes place in Canada. The small eggs are deposited in groups of from 15 to 

 25, generally upon the underside of the grain or in the crease of the kernel. They 

 are white at first, turning pink before hatching. The young caterpillar is only a 

 millimetre in length, pink, slender and covered with long hair. As a rule, only one 

 enters a kernel, where it remains until full grown, when it is about | of an inch 

 in length and dirty white in colour. It then changes to a brownish chrysalis, from 

 which subsequently the small moth issues. This is rather larger than, but at first 

 sight very much like, the Carpet Moth {Tineola biselliella, Hum.) The wings ex- 

 pand about ^ inch, are of a satiny cream colour and bear a fevv dark spots on the 

 foi'ewings, which are narrow, pointed and fringed. The hind wings are darker, 



