172 



" ( I wuuld therefore reeomiueinl you to look carefully for the egg 

 excavations alluded to). 



■• ' The same methods of catching this beetle may be employed as with 

 the Plum Curculio, which are as follows: — 



■' ' The most effective method tlius far discovered is to jar down the 

 insects and catch them on sheets. The tree should have a sudden jarring, 

 not a mere shaking. For this purpose it is a good plan to saw off a small 

 limb, leaving a stump a foot or less long, upon which to strike with a 'heavy 

 mallet ; this avoids bruising the bark of the tree. To catch the insects, two 

 pieces of sheeting, each two yards long and a yard wide, may be stiffened 

 by means of small rods or sticks, one at each long side and one in the middle; 

 make the ends of these sticks sharp, and cut a notch at a short distance from 

 the end ; the points of the sticks may be pushed into the cloth, and the 

 notches will iirevent that from slipping. A person can readily carry these 

 from tree to tree, .and placing them on the ground, one each side of the truulc. 

 the tree is then to be jarred by a stroke of the mallet. The fallen insects 

 may be crushed between the lingers, or be iilaced in a vessel of water, upon 

 which there floats a small quantity of kerosene.' 



•• I am referring the insect to Dr. Fletcher, and in the meantime, I hope 

 that you will be able to keep the upper-hand, by following the directions 

 given. I should imagine that spraying with Paris green would have the 

 effect of destroying large numbers. The formula is 1 pound of Paris green, 

 1 pound of unslalced lime, and IGO gallons of water." 



On referring specimens of the insect to Dr. Fletcher, he reiiorted as 

 fol lows : — 



"With regard to llic wct^vil from Sunmierland, I think that your answer 

 to Mr. Sutherland will suit the occasion; but this is not a true weevil, but 

 an otiorltyuchUl. I rei-eiveil a specimen, some years ago, from Watson, of 

 Kelowna, but have misplaced it, and cannot recall the name just now. This 

 one has more the habits of its close ally, the Gray Peach Weevil, which is 

 referred to in my reports for 1S93, p. 177, and 1S94, p. 198. Beating the 

 trees at night would probably be the best remedy. The attack would only 

 last a very short time. Mechanical tree protectors, or even a band of cotton 

 batting, might also answer the purpose." 



Graxahv Wkevu, iCahindra g-rannria. L.) 

 i;ni: WionviL {('. Ori/zcv, L.) 



This beetle, as well as the two other insects mentioned in this short 

 article, has long been known as a serious enemy to ston'd grain. When 

 mature, the granary weevil is from an eighth to a sixth of an inch in length. 

 of a dark, shiny, nmhogany-hrown colour, with the head prolonged into a 

 slender snout. .Some specimens are almost wholly black. Having no wings 

 beneath the hard wing-cases, it is unable to fly. The eggs are laid in minute 

 holes, which the female beetles bore into the grain with their slender lieaks. 

 On hatching from the egg the young grub at once begins to feed on the 

 contents of tlie kernel, completes its growth and turns to a beetle inside 

 file same grain, which does not show any sign of injury until the beetle 



I 



