TOMATO WEEVIL. 41 



CHAPTER CXI. 



TOMATO WEEVIL. 



(Desiantha nociva, Lea.) 



Order : Coleoptera. Family : Curculionidce. 



This pest is a small beetle about a quarter of an inch in 

 length, with a somewhat V-shaped marking on the wing- 

 cases. The whole appearance of the insect is greyish- 

 brown in colour. The larva or caterpillar is small, of a 

 pea-green colour, and is usually found in the soil a few 

 inches below the surface. When about to pupate, or to 

 change into the chrysalis stage, it constructs a cocoon 

 made of soil (see Figs. X.-XL), where it remains for a 

 couple of months, and emerges as the perfect beetle. 



This is a new and formidable enemy of the tomato - 

 grower, and was first brought under notice by the Assistant 

 Entomologist, Mr. C. French, jun., who sent the specimens, 

 as being new to him, to Mr. Lea, F.E.S., State Entomolo- 

 gist, Tasmania, who is a specialist in the Curculionidos, or 

 Weevils. The family Curculionidce embraces several thou- 

 sand species in Australia alone. Mr. Lea found the 

 specimen to be new to science, and has named it as above. 

 The beetle itself is nearly as destructive as the larva, and 

 goes down into the soil in the daytime, coming up at night 

 to feed. The larvge often feed in the daytime, but the 

 perfect insect rarely does so. The genus Desiantha is a 

 fairly large one, and comprises many destructive kinds, 

 some of which gnaw the buds of plum and other fruit trees, 

 frequently destroying a large portion of the crop. 



Mr. C. French, jun., in an article contributed to the 

 Victorian Journal of Agriculture, says " During the last 

 three months, many specimens of this beetle and its larvae 

 were sent to the Entomological Branch, the persons for- 

 warding them stating that these weevils were destroying 



