56 



infested with these insects to any considerable extent will 

 not germinate, will loose considerably in weight, and is not 

 wholesome as food, but may even be injurious. When 

 these insects are found in stored grain they should be ex- 

 terminated at once, since they multiply with such rapidity 

 that they will completely ruin all the grain in a short time. 



The Grain Beetle. 



{SiJvanus surinamensis, Linn.) 



The grain beetle is a small reddish brown colored insect, 

 a little over one-eighth of an inch in length. It can be dis- 

 tinguished from the other grain beetles 

 by its more cylindrical form, and the 

 presence of saw-like teeth on the margin 

 of the thorax ; it also has three longitu- 

 dinal ridges on the thorax, and several 

 less distinct on the wing covers. See 

 figure 12, which represents this beetle 

 much enlarged. 



This beetle is found in granaries usu- 

 ally in connection with other grain in- 

 sects. The adult beetle as well as the 

 larva3 feed upon corn or wheat, and do 

 not confine themselves to a single kernel. 

 The larvjc often pupate in the cracks 



GriiiTBlltle. ^^^^^ ^^'^ granary. 



