The Life of the Weevil 



ground. The future is wisely provided 

 against; from its present catacomb the adult 

 will be able without hindrance to ascend to 

 the light of day. 



We were saying that, if the Weevil 

 assumed her final shape in the nut, she would 

 be incapable of effecting her own release. 

 Yet with her drill she is very well able to 

 perforate the shell when the egg has to be 

 installed. Why should she be prevented 

 from doing in the inverse direction what she 

 is able to perform inwards from without? 

 A little reflection will show us the tremend- 

 ous difficulty. 



To place the egg in position, a fine tube, 

 of the thickness of the drill, is sufficient. 

 To give passage to the solid adult Weevil 

 would demand a comparatively enormous 

 opening. The material to be pierced is very 

 hard, so hard that the larva, with the power- 

 ful gouges of its mandibles, bores a hole 

 only just big enough to allow the head to 

 pass. The rest of the body has to follow by 

 dint of exhausting efforts. 



How could the insect open a sufficiently 

 large door with its delicate foil, when the 

 far better-equipped grub has so much 

 134 



