ENTOMOLOGY 145 



In its injurious occurrences this species appears to be limited to 

 the eastern United States, from New England to Tennessee. With 

 our present knowledge of the life economy of this species, two 

 methods of control suggest themselves as of greatest value, and it 

 may be that they will prove all that is necessary under ordinary 

 conditions. 



(1) In spring permit a few volunteer asparagus plants to 

 grow as a trap crop, to lure the fly from the main crop or the cutting 

 beds for the deposition of her eggs. After this has been accom- 

 plished the trap crop should be destroyed by pulling the infested 

 plants and burning them with their contained puparia. The time 

 to pull the plants will vary according to locality and somewhat ac- 

 cording to season also. The second and third week in June would 

 be about the right time in and near the District of Columbia. On 

 Long Island this work should be done a week or two later. In the 

 northernmost range of this insect for example, in Massachusetts 

 the last week of June would be a suitable time. These plants must 

 be destroyed before the end of the cutting season, otherwise they are 

 apt to provide abundant rust infection. 



(2) The second generation can be destroyed in like manner 

 by pulling old infested asparagus stalks as soon as attack becomes 

 manifest and promptly burning them also. If this work were care- 

 fully done over a considerable area, it would leave little necessity 

 for other methods, since it would do away with these insects in the 

 vicinity and leave few to be dealt with another season; unless, in- 

 deed, this insect has an alternate food plant. Thoroughness and the 

 co-operation of neighboring asparagus growers are essential for suc- 

 cess. (Cir. 135, U. S. D. A. B. E.) 



BEANS. 



The Bean Weevil. It is a very small beetle, one-tenth of an 

 inch long, only half the size of the Pea-weevil, which in other re- 

 spects it closely resembles. It is grayish brown in color, due to a 

 coating of dense fine hair; the wing-covers are marked with a series 

 of lines running lengthwise and have a mottled appearance. The 

 beetle is oval in shape, the head is bent down and terminates in a 

 short square beak; the end of the abdomen is not covered by the 

 wings, and differs from that of the Pea-weevil in being destitute of 

 the two oval black spots which are characteristic of the latter. 



The eggs of the insect are laid upon the young bean pods ; the 

 grubs, as soon as they are hatched, bore through and enter the beans 

 inside, several making their way into a single bean. Maturity is 

 reached in the autumn, when the beetles emerge if the season is 

 warm; otherwise they remain all winter in the ripened bean. If 

 unmolested they will increase and multiply in the dry seeds and 

 continue their work of destruction for a long time. It is therefore 

 useless to hold over the seed for a year, as may be done to get rid 

 of the Pea- weevil. 



Whenever this insect is found to be present, the beans should 

 be fumigated as soon as practicable after they are harvested. This 

 is done by putting them in a barrel or tight bin and pouring on 



