THE EICE WATER-WEEVIL. 



larva, and doubtless also the pupa, require a bed of saturated earth in 

 which to live. Wet conditions of soil with suitable vegetation appear 

 to be necessary for the development of all the stages. 



FOOD PLANTS. 



The semiaquatic life of the insect demands that its proper food 

 plants be adapted for growing in moist situations or entirely in 

 water. The adult weevil itself is not disposed to feed on any plant 

 unless the roots are at least partially covered with water or soft mud. 

 In South Carolina Dr. Howard observed weevils feeding on " Sagit- 

 taria, Scirpus, Cyperus, Nymphasa, and Nuphar " — plants commonly 

 known as arrowhead, bulrush, galingale. water lily, and spatter-dock. 

 Besides these, he reported wild rice (Zlzania. aquatica) as well as 

 cultivated rice (Oryza saMva). One specimen has been collected as a 

 visitor on Baptisia at Victoria, Tex. All positive records of addi- 

 tional food plants refer entirely to grasses and they are the result of 

 observations that were mostly made in Louisiana. Mr. Hood has re- 

 ported some of the Louisiana grasses by the common names of " bull 

 grass'' and "nigger's wool," which grew at Crowley. "Hurrah 

 grass" was recorded by Mr. D. L. Van Dine at Matagorda, Tex. 

 Adult weevils fed on the leaves of these undetermined grasses and the 

 larva? were found on the roots of the first, which was identified by 

 the writer as a Paspalum and was said to have been introduced into 

 the country. " Bull grass " is a very common term in the section and 

 refers to several species of grasses. 



The occurrence of weevils on Walter's swale grass (Paspalum 

 memhraii<i>-< tin,) was first observed by Mr. Xewell at Lake Arthur, 

 La. While similar observations have been made by the writer at 

 Crowley, La., and Pine Bluff, Ark., the finding of larva? on the roots 

 of the grass at Crowley presented complete evidence of the true host 

 relationship of the plant. This fact, however, may have been dis- 

 covered by Mr. Xewell two years previously at the same place where 

 he found larva? infesting the roots of a stocky Paspalum, which he was 

 inclined to regard as another species. 



Also during the season of 1911, at Crowley. La., the writer found 

 two other species of grass which attracted the weevils from the 

 nearest rice plants. One of these was Bermuda grass (Capriola 

 dactylon). It grew on a levee in a rice field which had become partly 

 overflowed with the Hood water. As an attempt had been made to 

 grow it on the land previous to the rice crop, its occurrence under 

 flooded conditions was exceptional, and no larva' were found attack- 

 ing the roots. It can not be considered as a proper host plant. In 

 the other case, a bunch of " water crab grass," undoubtedly a species 

 of Syntherisma, was making a desperate struggle for existence 



