53 



The Black or Kice Weevil. 

 {Calandra oryzae, Linn.) 



The black or rice weevil is a black colored beetle with 

 four reddish brown spots on the wing covers. It is some- 

 what smaller than the grain or corn weevil, being about one 

 eigtli of an inch in length. Figure 9 shows this beetle en- 

 larged at c and with a natural size figure just above. 



As the name indicates, this beetle is frequently found in 

 rice, but it attacks corn and wheat as well, and does its 

 greatest amount of damage to corn in this state. The adult 

 female makes a hole in the grain with her mouth parts, and 

 deposits an egg in it. Frequently more than one hole and 

 egg is deposited in a single kernel. The larvjie burrow and 

 feed upon the inside of the grain, and when full grown change 

 to the pupa stage within the kernel. The adult beetles soon 

 emerge and deposit eggs for another brood. In infested 

 corn, one can find these weevils in all stages of development. 

 The adult beetles are also very injurious in a direct way, in 

 that they will eat into the kernels of corn for a short dis- 

 tance themselves, and are not content with a single kernel. 

 An ear of corn infested with the black or rice weevil will 

 soon be ruined, nearly every kernel having holes eaten into 

 it, and its interior more or less eaten away. 



