308 



INJURIOUS AND BENEFICIAL INSECTS OK CALIFORNIA. 



long, have wings and are thus able to fly. The larvae or grubs are 

 creamy white, robust and legless. The pupae are white and about the 

 size of the adults. The eggs are white, elliptical or slightly enlarged 



at one end and about 1-45 

 inch long. 



Life History. -The life his- 

 tory is practically the same as 

 that of the granary weevil. 



Nature of Work. — The 

 work is also the same as that 

 cf the granary weevil. 



Distribution. — Like the 

 grain weevil, this species is 

 very common throughout the 

 State. 



Food. — Nearly all cereals, 

 including barley, corn, oats, 

 rice, wheat, etc., are attacked. 



Control. — Control measures 

 are the same as for the 

 ffranary weevil. 



THE TULE BILLBUG" 



Sphencphcrus discolor Manner- 



liciin-- ; (Family Calandridae) 



(Figs. 302, 303) 



Description. — The adult is 

 dark brown with light mark- 

 ings on the lateral and ventral 



-The tule billbug, Sphenophorus dis- 

 Adults and eggs, natural size. (Orig- 



Fig. 302.- 

 color Mann, 

 inal) 



surfaces. It has a long bill or snout which gives rise to the common 

 name. The length averages 1 inch (Fig. 302). 



Life History. — The life history of this species is not known. It 

 breeds in the tules and the adults appear in the early spring and in 

 a number of cases have injured growing grain. 



Nature of Work. — With the long bill the weevil severs the heads of 

 the growing stalks at the boot, thus killing the top. Fig. 303 shows 

 the point of attack and a leaf removed to illustrate that the hole is 

 extended entirely through the stalk. 



Distribution. — The distribution of this weevil conforms to the tule- 

 growing districts, especially in the central part of the State. It also 

 occurs along the coast from San Diego to north of San Francisco. 



Food Plants. — The tule (Scirpus lacustris occidentalis and other 

 species) are the normal hosts, but barley, oats and wheat are also 

 attacked. 



Control. — This insect has proved to be injurious only on land 

 reclaimed from or adjacent to the tule marshes. Though the damage 

 may be quite serious, there are no known control measures which would 

 warrant the cost of application. 



---Smith. II. S.. Mo. Bui. Cal. Hort. Com., II, pp. 619-621, 1913. 



ihorous pictus Lee., commonly associated with this species, differs only in 

 having white markings on the dorsum. It is but a color variety of Sphenophorus 

 discolor Mann, and not a distinct species, according to Dr. E. C. Van Dyke. 



