28 



SNOUT-BEETLES OR WEEVILS. 



A few species of snout-beetles or weevils have been observed attack- 

 ing sugar beet at various times, but with the exception of the imbri- 

 cated snout-beetle these insects are of little importance as beet pests; 

 in fact, only one species other than that habitually does material harm 

 to beet plants. The species in question {Tanymecus confertus Gj^ll.) 

 was once notably injurious to sugar l)eet in Nebraska. It was observed 

 by Professor Bruner first on cocklebur, lambsquarters, and smartweed, 

 after devouring which it completely destroyed the beets in a 12-acre 

 field. Injury b}- this class of insects in beet fields is by the beetles, 

 the larvae feeding on the roots of weeds and wild plants. 



THE IMBRICATED SNOUT-BEETLE. 



{Epicserus imhricatus Say.) 



The imbricated snout-beetle is a common insect of the field, garden, 

 and orchard, and capable of committing considerable injury to a variety 



of useful plants in- 

 cluding sugar beet and 

 various other vegeta- 

 bles, such as beans 

 and pease. 



It is one of our 

 largest snout-beetles, 

 measuring- nearly half 

 an inch in length, and 

 has the body covered 

 with minute imbri- 

 cated scales (whence 

 the insect's name), the 

 lighter portions ap- 

 pearing brownish gray, and the darker light brown, forming a pattern 

 as shown in figure 23, a^ and l. The head is prolonged into a short 

 broad snout, with elbowed antennae and the elytra or wing covers 

 terminate in a point. Both sexes are wingless. 



It is well distributed, occurring in most States, except the more 

 northern ones, east of the Rock}" Moimtain range. It does not appear 

 to be found north of the Upper Austral life zone. This distribution 

 includes localities from the neighborhood of New York City south- 

 ward to Texas and westward to Colorado and Utah. 



In addition to the plants that have been mentioned as furnishing 

 food for this species, it has been observed doing more or less injury 

 to onion, radish, cabbage, cucumber, watermelon, muskmelon, squash, 

 corn, potato, and tomato, among vegetables; apple, cherry, and pear 

 trees; raspberry, blackberry, and gooseberry bushes; and to feed on 

 grasses and clover, and some forms of weeds. 



h ^ a c d 



Fig. 23. — Epicserus imhricatus: a, female beetle; h, same from side: 

 c, newly hatched larva; d, same from side; c, egg; /, egg mass.— 

 a, 6, about three times natural size; /, two times; c, d, e, more 

 enlarged (author's illustration, Di\'ision of Entomology). 



