96 



TUKNIP. 



Turnip-seed Weevil. 

 Flower Beetle. 



CeiitorJiyncJiiis assimilis, Payk. 

 Melifjethes (Biieiis, Fab. 



Ceutorhychus assimilis. 

 Beetle, maggot and chrysalis, nat. size and magnified ; infested Turnip pod. 



The following notes refer to two kinds of beetle attack affecting the 

 flowering shoots of Turnips and other plants of the Cabbage tribe, and 

 which by injurhig the blossom buds, blossoms, unripe seeds, and in 

 some cases the shoots themselves, materially lessen the amount of the 

 seed crop. These two kinds of beetles are respectively the " Flower 

 Beetle," scientifically the Meligethes ceneus,'^' and the " Turnip-seed 

 Weevil," scientifically the Ceiitorhynchus assimlis ; but as tbe " Seed 

 Weevil," though especially injurious when in maggot state to the 

 young forming seed, feeds when in beetle state partly on the flowers ; 

 and the "Flower Beetle," whether in beetle, or in maggot state, so 

 injures the flower, and the fructifying parts, that it lessens amount of 

 seed ; and also as both kinds of beetles are often to be found together 

 on the flowering shoots of the Turnips, or other plants which they 

 infest, it has seemed best to notice the two attacks together. 



The Turnip-seed Weevil is a small blackish or greyish beetle, not 

 quite the sixth of an inch long including the proboscis. The shade of 

 colour depends very much on whether the specimens are fresh, or 

 rubbed. The beetles are black, with a sprinkling of fine white hairs 

 above, and scales below, which give a greyish tint, and when these are 

 rubbed off, the beetles look black or patchy. The wings are ample, 

 and thus the insect has great powers of dispersing itself arouud. 



The life-history, as given by various writers, is, that after hyber- 

 nation during the winter, the weevils of the preceding autumn come 

 out again in the following spring, and appear on the flowering shoots 



♦ As mentioned further on, the UdUjethe^ viridescciis may also be present. 



