Distribution 



As just indicated, the apple flea-weevil is generally distributed over 

 Illinois and is particularly destructive in the central and southern sec- 

 tions. In Ohio it has been found at Delaware in large numbers, at 

 Wooster and Steubenville in small numbers, and, in correspondence, 

 has been reported from Cincinnati, O., California, O., and Chillicothe, O. 

 It is probably very sparsely distributed over the greater part of the 

 state, but is destructively abundant only in an area of about a square 

 mile near Delaware, in the central part of the state. 



In Indiana, according to Prof. J. J. Davis, of the Indiana Experi- 

 ment Station, it is not on record as doing any notable injury. 



In correspondence. Prof. C. R. Crosby, of Cornell University, re- 

 ports finding the weevil in several New York orchards, though not in 

 destructive numbers. 



The general distribution of the species in North America as given 

 by Blatchley and Leng in the "Rhynchophora or Weevils of North East- 

 ern America", is as follows : "Frequent throughout Indiana .... 

 several localities in New Jersey and Staten Island ; . . . . Ranges 

 from Nova Scotia and Quebec through New England to Oregon, south 

 to Texas." 



From this record of its wide distribution it appears to be a 

 native insect which is not normally troublesome but which is quite 

 capable of becoming a pest of prime importance when conditions 

 brought about by particular practices especially favor its increase. A 

 detailed discussion of this point will be found later on in this article. 



Description 



ADULT beetle 



The apple flea-weevil is of insignificant size and appearance (see 

 Figures 1 and 2). The beetle is shining black and scarcely a tenth of 

 an inch long. It has a curved snout and the hind legs are strongly devel- 

 oped for jumping. Say's original description of the species is as follows: 

 "Black, antennae rufous with a black tip. Inhabits Indiana. Body 

 black, densely punctured ; rostrum lineated and punctured ; antennae 

 dull rufous, the club darker black ; thorax confluently punctured ; elytra 

 with punctured striae, the interstitial lines somewhat rough and flat; 

 thighs with a short acute tooth. Length one-tenth of an inch. Var. a. 

 Tarsi piceous. This species is very abundant." 



Blatchley and Leng in their "Rhynchophora or Weevils of North 

 Eastern America" describe the species as follows : "Elongate-oval, humeri 

 prominent. Black, shining, sparsely clothed with very short grayish- 

 yellow hairs ; antennae and tarsi reddish-brown ; club dusky. Beak 

 stout, scarcely as long as head and thorax, coarsely and sparsely punc- 

 tate. Head finely granulate, sparsely and coarsely punctured. Thorax as 

 broad at middle as long, sides feebly rounded, disc coarsely, very densely 



