171 



case of the beau weevil such bags are readily perforated and the beetles 

 escape — frequently, when this haiipens in houses, as is sometimes the case, to 

 the great consternation of the inhabitants. 



The beau weevil seems to be a cosmopolitan species, the original home of 

 which was in Asia. It was probably introduced into America tlirough com- 

 merce and has been the cause of considerable damage in various States of 

 the American Union. It has been mentioned in thr rcpnrts of several United 

 States entomologists, full articles being given b.\- I'rofessors Kiley. Pojienoe 

 and Liutuer. There has been a great deal of discussion as to the proper 

 name of the species. The last decision seems to be that the beetle should be 

 called Bnicliiis ohtectus of Say. The beau weevil has never Ijeeu very 

 injurious in Canada. 



The European Bean Weevil { lUiiiIiiis nipiiitiiiiis. Sch. i is occasionally 

 Imported in .seed, but has never established itself as a pest. 



liemedics. — As in the case of the pea weevil, the best remedy f(U- this 

 In.sect is the destruction of the weevils iuside the beans as soon as possible 

 after the crop is ripe. I'unHgatiou with bisulphide of carliou is the best 

 treatment in every way. 



Wi:i:viL ON Pe.\ch Trees. 



At Summerland. in .Vpril. Mr. Jas. M. Sutherland's peach trees were 

 attacked by a weevil, which ate the leaves and striiijied the bark from the 

 young shoots. The followiug recommendation was made by .1. R. Anderson : — 



'• 1 cannot quite identify your weevil, but inasmnch as it works exactly 

 in the same manner as the New York Weevil (Itlninyux iiinohoracensis). I 

 think .vou cannot do better than to follow the clirectiims given for the destruc- 

 tion of that insect. 



"Treat describes the weevil mentioned as follows: 'This large sncait- 

 beetle kills the twigs by gnawing off the tender bark, in the earl.v part of 

 the season liefore the buds have put out. and later in tlie year it destroys 

 the tender shoots which start lait from old woo(l_ by entirely devouring 

 them. It attacks, by jireference. the tender growth of the apple, though it 

 will also make free with that of the peach, plum and pear, ami probably of 

 other fruit, as well as of forest trees. 



"'This beetle belongs to the same family as does the riiini Cureiilio: it 

 is distinguished from most of the other snout-beetles by the antenuje or 

 horns being straight instead of elbowed or flail-shaped, as they are in the 

 common Plum Curculio, for instance." 



"(Your pea weevil has decidedly elbnw<'(l antenna'.') 

 ■ "'The female, in depositing, first makes a longitudinal cx<'avation with 

 her jaws, eating ujiwards under the liark towards the end of the bram/h, 

 and afterwards turns round to thrust her egg into the exravation. Tlie 

 larva hatching from the egg is of the usual pale-yellow colour with a tawny 

 head. We have watched the whole operation of depositing, and returning to 

 the punctured twig a few days after the operation was jierformed^ have cut 

 out the young larva; hut we do not .vet know how long a time the larva 

 needs to come to its growtli, nor whether it midergoes its transformations 

 within the branch, or leaves it for this purpose, to enter the ground; though 

 the former hypothesis is the most likely.' 



