50 FLOUR AND OrRAlN BEETLES. [1899 



The following short notes of some of the chief characteristic points 

 of the larva and pupa are taken from ' The Coleoptera of the British 

 Islands,' by the Eev. Canon Fowler, vol. v. p, 20 : — 



" The larva is linear and parallel, slightly narrowed towards apex, 

 of a rufo-ferruginous colour above and paler below, the segments are 

 furnished on each side with set^e, and the anal segment is very small 

 and terminates in two short pointed appendages. 



" The pupa is much longer than broad, and is set with rather short 

 setae, the plates at the sides are strongly bifid, and the cerci are 

 comparatively long, and sharply pointed at apex." 



In the sample of infested U.S.A. Wheat-flour which was sent me 

 for examination, I found about fifty of the T. ferruciineum. beetles and 

 a good supply of larvte. These larva?, or maggots, were of various 

 sizes, from about three-sixteenths to two-eighths of an inch in length, 

 or, in one instance, rather more when the maggot was quite fully 

 extended in walking. The width approximately one-eighth of the 

 length. The surface shiny, with some hairs ; the shape cylindrical, 

 parallel-sided for most of the length, but lessening towards the tail 

 extremity, which was terminated by two pointed processes (see figure, 

 p. 49). The colour ochreous ; when seen magnified, the segments 

 pale at the edges, above broadly banded transversely with ochreous, 

 the cross-bands being darkest on the segments nearest the tip of the 

 tail, the under side of the larva pale or white. The fore part of the 

 head ochreous, mandibles darker, and brown at their pointed tips ; 

 antennae in length about half the transverse width of the head. The 

 six claw-feet white or very pale, slender, and of sufficient length to 

 allow the larva to walk easily, and at a fair rate of progression. 



The figure of the pupa (p. 49) and the description above are 

 perhaps enough for practical purposes ; but I observed that the strife 

 on the elytra (wing-cases) folded beneath the body were very noticeable 

 with a two-inch focus object-glass, as also the two pointed processes 

 at the tip of the abdomen. The length was about one-sixth of an inch. 



The beetles are of rusty-red or reddish yellow-brown in colour, 

 elongate, parallel-sided, rather depressed ; head and thorax thickly 

 punctured, head comparatively large but narrower than thorax ; the 

 latter broader than long ; the antennre rusty-red, " ivith the three last 

 joints forming a club,"-" terminal joint paler; wings ample, and were 



* The three last joints of the antenna} forming a club, and likewise the head 

 not being expanded beyond the eyes at the side, are characteristics by which this 

 species, that is, T. ferrttgineum, Fab. {T. castaneum, Herbst ; Stene fernigineum, 

 Kirby) may be especially distinguished from T. confusum, Duval. This species 

 occurs in England, but is considered not to be as common with us asferrugiiwuDi, 

 which it closely resembles in colour, form, size, habits, and life-history; but in the 

 United States of America this species (T. confu.'mm) is stated from the time of its 

 first recognition in the country as a distinct species to have been " reported as 

 injurious in nearly every State and Territory in the Union." 



