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Obscn'vations on the Pea Fly or Beetle ^ and Fruit Cur^ 

 culio. By JFilliam Bartra?n. 



Read July 14th, 1789. 



The pea fly, Bruchus pisi^ is a small beetle of that kind 

 which we call wevel, but is more than twice their size, 

 of an ovate form and brownish colour, particularly their 

 upper side or elytron, which is uniformly besprinkled 

 with specks, and strokes of a light colour, as likewise 

 tlie back or upper part of the thorax, near the suture or 

 joint. The bill is short, depressed, and armed with a 

 hair of serrated forceps, the under side and legs are 

 black, or of a very dark, dusky colour, the femora are 

 ai'med with a sharp tooth, or acute projection at the 

 knee joint, and the whole insect is covered with fine 

 hair. 



They feed when in the caterpillar or grub state, on 

 the green garden or field pea, as soon as the pods (le- 

 gumes) have arrived to a state of maturity, sufficient to 

 shew the peas which are within them: in the evening, 

 or on a cloudy day, the female deposits her eggs on the 

 outside of the pods, these eggs or nits soon hatch, and 

 the young larva or worm eats directly through, and en- 

 ters the tender young pea, where it lodges, and remains 

 feeding on its contents, until it changes to a chrysalis, 

 and thence to a fly or beetle, before the succeeding 

 spring, but do not eat their way out until the colds and 

 frosts are past, which is about the beginning of April, 

 Avhen we generally begin to plant peas; and if they 

 should open a door they do not choose to leave their 



