THE APPLE-ROOT BOEER, 71 



CHAPTER XL 



THE APPLE-ROOT BORER. 



(Leptops Hopei.) 



Orderi: Coleoptera. — Family : Curcidionidce. 



A very destructive beetle, belonging to the great group 

 of the Curculionid(E^ of which there are in Australia over 

 1,200 different kinds, which have been already «lescribed 

 in various publications. This group of beetles is but too 

 well-known as furnishing some of the worst of insect pests 

 to the grower — the Rice- Weevil, Pea- Weevil, Nut- Weevil, 

 Plum-Curculio, Bean- Weevil, and a host of other kinds 

 commonly known by the name of " Weevils." 



This insect is indigenous to Australia, no less than 44 

 species of this genus having been found in the various 

 colonies. In Victoria this particular species of Leptops 

 has been known for the last 30 years to attack fruit trees, 

 especially apples and pears, but it was not until a few 

 years back that it was found to be such a dreadful scourge 

 to fruit-growers. 



The perfect insect (as shown in Plate VI., Fig. 4) is 

 of a light-greyish brown colour, about an inch in length 

 when its fore-legs are stretched out. The singular 

 mandible-like process (see Plate VI., Fig. 5) which the 

 Rev. Mr. Blackljurn, of Adelaide, informs me had been 

 already noticed and referred to, I think, by Boisduval, the 

 celebrated French natiu^alist and voyager, is seldom seen 

 in such a marked manner as in the case of the beetle from 

 which our plate is taken. 



The larva is a yellowish-white clumsy-looking grub, 

 about an inch in length (see Plate VL, Fig. 3), which 

 attacks the trees by tunnelling into its roots (see Plate 

 VI. , Fig. 2), the consequence being that the very founda- 

 tion of the tree is sapped, and the indications of its decay 



