396 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Special attention has been given to a study of the handling and 

 storage of beans and peas in commercial bean warehouses with a 

 view not only to eliminating infestations once crops have been 

 gathered but to determining the connection between careless and 

 unintelligent warehouse methods and the increasing difficulty of 

 growing crops of beans free from infestation. Satisfactory progress 

 is being made, and this work of the bureau has received the com- 

 mendation of the California Bean Growers' Association and the 

 bean weevil committee of the Modesto (Calif.) Chamber of Com- 

 merce. 



Insects attacking grain and grain products. — The investigation 

 of insects attacking corn, wheat, and other grains and mill products 

 has been continued during the past year at Washington and at 

 Thomasville, Ga. 



At Washington studies of the biology of the rice weevil, Sitophilus 

 orysa, and the granary weevil, Sitophilus granarius, have been 

 finished for the present and the results prepared for publication. 

 Studies of the biology of the cadelle, T eThehroides, mauritanicus^ and 

 the mealworms, Tenehrio obscurus and Tenehrio molitor, are Hear- 

 ing completion and the data are being prepared for publication. A 

 study of the biology of other grain pests, more particularly the flour 

 beetles, Tribolium spp., is under way. 



In southern Georgia, with headquarters at Thomasville, the work 

 reported upon last year has been continued with good results. 

 Special studies have been made during the past year of the relation- 

 ship existing between the location of cribs and other storage centers 

 and the degree of infestation in other parts of the field. While these 

 studies are far from complete, the data already secured indicate that 

 there is a good basis for the belief that the migrations of the rice 

 weevil from storage centers are responsible for much if not all of 

 the widespread and potentially serious infestation found in the field 

 in corn at the time of harvest. This is a continuing work and will 

 require more funds before it can be determined whether field in- 

 festations can be controlled by community effort in the destruction 

 of insects in storage. 



Dried fruit insects. — Intensive studies have been made at Fresno, 

 Calif., of the Indian-meal moth, Plodia interpunctella^ and of the 

 dried-fruit beetle, Garpophilus hemipterus^ two serious pests of 

 dried fruit, and data concerning their biology are being prepared 

 for publication. 



Insects attacking meat. — The investigation of insects attacking 

 meats, particularly cured meats, begun two years ago, was inter- 

 rupted June 30 for lack of sufficient funds. Good progress has 

 been made during the past year and many new scientific data se- 

 cured. Technical papers summarizing these data have been pre- 

 pared on the cheese and ham skipper, Piophilus casei; the red- 

 legged ham beetle, Necrobia ini-fipes; and the larder beetle, 

 Dermestes vulpinus. 



Fabric and household pests.— The investigation of fabric pests 

 has been conducted at Washington and has centered in a study of 

 the biology of the clothes moth Tineola biselliella and the carpet 

 beetles Anthrenus fasdatus^, and Attagenus ^^iceus^ together with 

 numerous tests made of cloths that have received so-called moth- 

 proofing treatments, in cooperation with fabric concerns and the 



