Semi-Centennial Volume. 83 



forded by the position of the pupa with reference to facility in effecting 

 emergence when the insect matures. The head of the pupa that was 

 viewed in its position within the cavity of the kernel rested directly 

 inside of the space marked by the blotch on the hull. Each pupal case 

 observed after the emergence of the adult occupied an exactly similar 

 position with respect to the aperture at this spot through which egress 

 of the moth had been effected. No webs or cocoon inclosed the pupal 

 case. The live pupa was able to twitch vigorously on being pressed or 

 jarred. But one individual has been known to occupy a single gnrain. 



LIFE OF THE ADULT. 



The precautionary measure provided by the larva, that allows the 

 adult to emerge through the hull of a grain in which the insect matures, 

 has already been described. As it produces a blotch on the surface, the 

 place is not difficult to detect. After the inmate has liberated itself, 

 the epidermal film, which at first had been left covering the space that 

 the larva had gnawed out on the inner side of the hull, always appeared 

 to be broken outwards by pressure of the moth in effecting its release. 

 The result of the efforts to gain freedom is a circular opening large 

 enough for the insect to pass through and escap'e. The cap of the 

 opening may be entirely removed or else left hanging by a portion of 

 its edge. In the latter case, it sometimes springs back into place, fol- 

 lowing the disengagement of the moth. 



Should the film which a moth attempts to break be tightly pressed 

 by the face of another grain in a quantity of stock, the possibility of the 

 insect being prevented from forcing an aperture must be considered. 

 In such an event, the adult would surely perish in its birthplace. Con- 

 sidering this contingency, as well as the probable hindrances in other 

 ways which may restrain a moth in undertaking to extricate itself from 

 a mass of grains, in case emergence has taken place at much depth, 

 presents the prospect of the species being more or less subject to 

 mechanical control due to these conditions. 



Mating of the sexes is believed to occur after individuals meet in the 

 open air, and the females probably oviposit in the most accessible places 

 on the sui'face of bagged stock. While the moths may be able to crawl 

 among rough rice, which does not pack as closely as the milled product, 

 yet owing to the obstructive positions of the grains, laying females 

 are not likely to penetrate far beneath the surface for effecting oviposi- 

 tion, even should they readily gain access into a bag. On account of 

 the bagging, for which, however, a coarse texture is used, many adults 

 may fail to find an opening that will allow them to enter a bag. Whether 

 or not gravid moths will deposit their eggs among the fibers of bags 

 in case the grains cannot be reached through the meshes has not been 

 ascertained. At any rate, the depth at which infested grains have 

 been obtained within bags would apparently exclude a moth from ovi- 

 positing that far in the interior. In these respects, an explanation 

 should be made that the kind of bag used for handling rough rice is com- 

 mercially known as a sack, on account of its coarse texture and large 

 size. 



