THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



237 



ffmm 



J 



are blooming and lay their eggs upon the pods, in cracks at the end 

 or in slits made by the female's jaws. Upon hatching the young 

 larvse bore through the pod or reach the beans within through a natural 

 crack and begin to enter them by drilling a small 

 hole, the entrance of which either heals over or is 

 so small as to be unobserved. Once within the bean 

 the entire life history is spent there, the adults 

 emerging at will by cutting a circular hole in the 

 side. The adults of the first brood immediately 

 begin egg-laying upon the pods as did the hiber- 

 nating females in the field, but if in storage bins or 

 sacks the eggs are laid upon the seed beans or in 

 old burrows. They thus continue to breed through- 

 out the entire summer and winter if the weather is not too cold, many 

 generations appearing each year. 



Distribution.— This insect is generally distributed throughout the 

 State, and is particularly troublesome in the central and southern 

 counties where small beans are raised. 



Foods.— Nearly all varieties of beans are attacked by this weevil, 

 though the small white and brown varieties are preferred. Limas 

 are not usually affected, but occasionally they are attacked. Peas are 

 also included as a host. 



Fig. 233. — The 

 bean weevil, Acan- 

 thoscelides obtectus 

 (Say). (U. S. 



Dept. Agrcl. ) 



Fig. 234. — The work of the bean weevil on 

 small white and lima beans. (Original.) 



Control.— The first step in the control of this pest is to harvest the 

 beans just as soon as possible, for those left in the fields are sure to 

 become largely infested. If any of the insects are discovered the 

 beans should be thoroughly fumigated with carbon bisulfid before 

 they are stored. If weevils appear in the bins or sacks, fumigation 

 should be resorted to at once. 



