WEEVILS. 267 



this is a protection. Many weevils pretend to be 

 dead when touched. 



The larvae are mostly borers; some of them bore 

 into wood, and others into grains, etc. The grub is 

 a maggot-like creature, but is fatter than a typical 

 maggot. It is devoid of legs. It pupates in the 

 medium in which it bores. 



Wood-boring weevils are serious pests ; they often 

 bore round a branch in a circular track and * * girdle ' ' 

 it till it snaps off with the wind. This is often seen 

 in Pittosporum trees. There is the apple root borer, 

 which is one of our more serious orchard pests. 



The life history of a weevil can easily be studied 

 if one puts some exposed maize in a box or tin and 

 keeps it for some time. It is usually infested with 

 weevils (Plate 34, Fig. 12), and larvae and pupae 

 may be seen. These tiny black weevils are very 

 characteristic of this group. 



The Botany Bay Diamond Weevil (Chrysolophus) 

 is a great favourite with children who collect, and 

 they are vastly amused at its pretence to be dead 

 when touched. It feeds on leaves of wattles and 

 other bush plants. Its larva is a wood borer. 



