INJURIOUS AND BENEFICIAL INSECTS OP CALIFORNIA. 305 



Distribution.— Unless the tobacco stalk weevil referred t<>- 17 proves 

 to be the same species, the first recorded locality is Brawley, Imperial 

 County, where it was discovered in the spring of 1914 by Mr. Ross, in 

 his potato patch, it has not been reported in any other locality in 

 Imperial County. 



Food Plants. — In this State the potato is the only recorded host. 

 It will, however, also work upon other solanums like the eggplant. Two 

 closely allied species, Trichobaris mucorea Lee. and T. compacta Casey 

 attack the common jimpson weed (Datura meteloides) , and the former 



: Fig. 300. — The potato stalk borer. Trichobaris trinotata Say. Adults, 

 enlarged three times. (Original) 



has also been recorded as attacking tobacco.- 1 " In the Middle States the 

 horse-nettle--" is a common host of the potato stalk borer. 



Control. — As the adults hibernate in the old stalks, Ihe pest is com- 

 paratively easily controlled by carefully burning all of the stalks and 

 rubbish in the field as soon as the potatoes are dug in the fall. Any 

 native host plants should also be destroyed at the same time or during 

 the winter. 



THE GRANARY WEEVIL 

 Calandra granaria Linnaeus (Family Calandridse) 



(Fig. 301) 



Description. — The weevils are of a uniform shining chestnut-brown 

 color, rather slender and from -J- to I, inch long. The prothorax is 

 coarsely punctured with rather long holes. No wings are present. 

 The larva? are white, legless, rather robust and distinctly segmented. 

 They are somewhat shorter than the adults. The pupse are the same 

 size'as the adults and vary from white, at beginning of pupal stage, to 

 the color of the adults just before they emerge. The eggs are 



2,7 There is some question regarding the identification of this species. Dr. Van Dyke 

 has made verv careful comparisons with other species and finds it more like the above 

 species than anv other. In fact, the only noticeahle difference is in size, the California 

 form being a little larger than that of the Middle States. Chittenden has recorded 

 Trichobaris mucorea as a tobacco pest in this State (Bui. No. 38, n. s. Bur. Bnt. U. S. 

 Dept. Agric, pp. 66-70, 1902). 



Matthew Cooke refers to the potato stalk borer as attacking the Jimpson weed in 

 the southern part of the State CInj. Ins. Orchard, Vineyard, etc., pp. 2 06-307, 1883). 



From both of these references it will be seen that there is some confusion regarding 

 the two species. Probably the insect attacking tobacco is the potato stalk borer, and 

 without doubt the beetle referred to by Matthew Cooke is Trichobaris mucorea Lee. 



2,9 Bul. No. 38 n. s. Bur. Knt. U. S. Dept. Agric. 



""Insect Life, V, p. 135. 1892. 



20—13604 



