24 



Through the kindness of Prof. M. E. Peck, Iowa Falls, Iowa, we 

 have received some information relative to this same insect and its 

 injuriousness to palms in British Honduras. Under date of January 

 1, 11)03, he writes that during several months' sta}^ there he became 

 considerably interested in the cocoanut industry, and especially in the 

 methods in use for meeting attacks of this palm weevil and other 

 beetles infesting the cocoanut. Numerous plantations were reported 

 to be seriously injured or wholly ruined by these insects, which are 

 considered the chief drawback to the industry in that region. One 

 g-rower, Mr. John T. Seay, of Manatee District, British Honduras, 

 succeeded to some extent in conquering these pests. Mr. Sea}" had a 

 plantation about 20 miles south of Belize and extending for 3 miles 

 along the coast. His trees were in flourishing condition, ranging in 

 age from two or three to fifteen 3^ears. Mr. Peck examined the larger 

 part of the adult trees and found that nearl}- half of those with trunks 

 over 6 fett in height had been attacked b}' the weevils, but had been 

 successfully -treated and the insects destroyed. Mr. Seay's method of 

 treatment was described as so easy and rapid that one man could attend 

 to many thousands of trees at very slight expense. He stated that if 

 these lieetles were as destructive in our newly acquired tropical terri- 

 tory (according to present accounts they are not) as they are in Cen- 

 tral America, it would certainly be worth while for the Department 

 of Agriculture to inquire into the matter. 



Mr. Seay was written in regard to his experiences, and he answered 

 January 23, and later in 1903, giving much information concerning- 

 this and other insects associated with injury to palms cultivated in 

 British Honduras. His acquaintance with this weevil dated back 

 about thirty years, and for half of that time he had been studying its 

 habits in order to be able to use his knowledge to advantage in the 

 application of remedies. 



ASSOCIATES OF THE PALM WEEVIL. 



The associates of this weevil, specimens of which accompanied other 

 material, were a large shining black Histerid beetle {llololepta quad- 

 ridentata Say), a large dipterous larva or luaggot, which proved on 

 rearing to be WilUstoniella pleiiropunctata Wied. , also Epiplatea erosa 

 Loew — both the young of Ortalid flies — and two forms of mites iden- 

 tified by Mr. N. Banks as belonging to the genera Uropoda and 

 Holostaspis. The latter mite was observed singly, in the material 

 furnished us, on both the weevil and the Histerid, sheltering in clus- 

 ters on the hairy portions of the under surface of the weevil and more 

 especially on the tibia^, although also clustered on the abdomen and 

 prosternum. There is no doubt that these mites are of some value in 

 destro3'ing the weevils in their diflerent stages, more particular!}", 

 perhaps, when in the pupal stage, if they have opportunity to penetrate 



