ENTOMOLOGY. BT^B 



liTtyvvn spots on the wing cases. Curtis states a curious fact, that the grandly 

 weevil iu England " is destitute of the organs of flight, Avhilst the rice weevil has 

 a pair of serviceable wings." Both of them are very injurious to grain and corn, 

 and the rice weevil is very destructive to the southern rice. The egg of the 

 northern granary weevil is deposited on the gi-ain ; the larvai burrow inside 

 and feed upon its inner substance ; the perfect weevil makes its escape from a 

 small hole bored through the outer skin. Curtis says, " it is calculated that 

 6,045 individuals may be reared from one pair of European weevils in one sum- 

 mer." Dr. Harris says, that these insects "are effectually destroyed by kiln- 

 drying the wheat ; and grain that is kept cool, well ventilated, and frequently 

 moved, is said to be free from their attack ;" also, " by winnowing and sifting rice 

 in the spring, the beetles can be separated, and should be immediately gathered 

 and destroyed." Curtis states that "placing the grain in close cellars is the 

 worst of all proceedings, as the weevils delight in darkness and being undis- 

 turbed." He recommends "frequently stirring or turning over the heaps of 

 wheat;" he also says that the scent of spirits of turpentine, or the fumes of 

 sulphur, did not appear to incommode the insects;" but in an experiment tried 

 by ourselves in 1854 or 1855, the odor of a few drops of chloroform killed both 

 larva and weevil in some closely corked bottles of samples of wheat iu the 

 Agricultural Department ; the same bottles being opened a year afterwards, re- 

 tained the scent. Benzine would, perhaps, have the same effect, and be much 

 cheaper, but, most probably, would also impart a nauseous taste and smell to 

 the grain. Wheat kept in bottles, thus treated with chloroform for a week, 

 germinated when planted. 



Curtis says that " the larvae as well as the weevils are destroyed at IDO** 

 Fahrenheit, but it also scorches the grain;" and that "a room heated to 130'' 

 by hot-water pipes has been constructed in Madeira, v/hich answers every pur- 

 pose," and " wheat subjected to this high temperature vegetated in the ground." 

 He also says " that fleeces of wool laid on the grain heaps attract and kill the 

 insects." A larger weevil, called the hunter-weevil, has been much complained 

 of in certain localities, as eating the leaves of corn. A very similar insect is 

 found near the Pedee river, in South Carolina, the larva of which feeds in the 

 stalk of corn, thereby entirely destroying the plant. This is merely mentioned 

 to warn farmers, in case they should find individual plants among their corn 

 withering, and in a yellow, sickly state, that perhaps the larva of a hunter- 

 weevil, or one very nearly allied to it, may be the cause of all the damage. 

 The only remedy at present recommended is hand-picking and burning the 

 infested plants. Another curculio { Epic csnis Jallax) is very injurious in the 

 neighborhood of Washington, in the weevil or perfect state, to the leaves of 

 young cabbages, clover, and various other plants. It appears, hoAvever, to be 

 local, as we have received no complaints about it, except from Iowa, Avhere it 

 injures the foliage of the cherry and apple trees, and gooseberry bushes also. 

 No remedies, however, have been recommended, as its habits have not been 

 much investigated. We, however, have caught great numbers when sweeping 

 with a bag net over clover fields. 



The larvas of the white-pine weevil injure pine trees by boring into the lead- 

 ing shoot, thus destroying the growth and symmetry of the tree. Harris 

 recommends " the injured leading shoot to be cut off in August, or as soon as 

 it is perceived to be dead, and to burn it, together Avith its inhabitants." The 

 larvae of the pitch-eating weevil, and others, devour the substance under the 

 bark of pine trees, and perhaps the method used for decoying the pine-eating 

 beetles in Europe may be practiced here with advantage. This consists in 

 sticking some newly cut branches of pine trees in the ground in an open space 

 during the season when the insects are about to lay their eggs ; iu a few 

 hours these branches will be covered with the beetles, which may be shaken in 

 a cloth and burned. 



