44-0 Journal of Agricultural Research vol. xx, no. 6 



This weevil is now known to occur in the United States. India, Brazil, 

 Mexico, Ecuador, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Bartholomew, Cuba, and 

 Costa Rica. It occurs, undoubtedly, wherever the tamarind is grown. 



NATURE OF INJURY 



The injury is confined entirely to the seed pods of the tamarind. The 

 adult weevils feed little, but the larvae or grubs bore in the seeds or beans 

 and reduce them to powder. The entire crop is frequently completely 

 destroyed unless promptly harvested and protected. 



For those not familiar with the tamarind a few descriptive and histor- 

 ical notes are here inserted. 



The tamarind, Tamariyulus indicus, although attributed to India, is 

 positively asserted to be indigenous to Africa and Australia. It was 

 introduced into the West Indies by the Spaniards soon after the dis- 

 covery of those islands, and was naturalized at an early date in Brazil, 

 Ecuador, Mexico, and other parts of the tropical world. A few trees have 

 been introduced into the United States in Florida and California. Al- 

 though a tropical plant it does well in southern Florida. 



The seeds are borne in large pods and are embedded in a sweet, sticky, 

 reddish pulp. This pulp has mild laxative properties and is found on 

 the market usually mixed with sugar or syrup. In tropical countries 

 the pulp is used extensively for the preparation of a cooling beverage 

 and as a flavoring for ice cream. In European countries it is said that 

 the pods and seeds when roasted are considered a delicacy. The bark, 

 seeds, and leaves are used to a limited extent by natives of the Tropics 

 as therapeutic agents. 



The wood is heavy and hard and is used for making furniture on ac- 

 count of its fine grain and color. It is used also in making tools, axles, 

 wagon wheels, and similar articles. 



LIFE HISTORY AND BIOLOGY 



Since the tamarind grows only in tropical or subtropical climates, the 

 activities of the weevil are not stopped by winter. It breeds throughout 

 the year. In Florida the seeds of the tamarind usually mature in May, 

 but a few may be found maturing in almost all months of the year, thus 

 providing a more or less continuous food supply for the weevils. As the 

 pods mature they quickly become infested. 



The adult weevils enter the tough-shelled pods through the stem end. 

 The swaying of the pods in the wind causes small breakages in the pod 

 rind to occur at the juncture of the stem, and through these breaks the 

 weevils find an easy entry. The female weevils bore directly through the 

 pulpy covering and into the tough seeds. In the seeds they excavate a 

 cylindrical cavity about 3 mm. deep and 1.5 mm. in diameter. If the 

 shell of the pod is broken away the weevils may be seen at work, the top 



