INSECTS INFESTING IT. 



129 



The " spotted and striped pea -weevils/' described and 

 figured at page 258, vol. i., are very destructive to the clover 

 crops also, frequently destroying a large proportion of the 

 plants, in their early stages, or nibbling and injuring them 

 at a later period of the growth of the crop. But the greatest 

 pests to the clover crop are a family of very minute 

 weevils, the " purple clover weevil" Apion apricans 



1. Floret attacked by larva of weevil. 2 and 3. Larva (natural size and magnified). 4 and 5. 

 Pupa (natural size and magnified). 6 and 7. Clover weevil, Apion apricans (natural size 

 and magnified). 8 and 9. Do. Apion assimile (natural size and magnified). 



and a similar species the A. assimile which infest the 

 plants of the Red clover, and the "yellow-legged weevil," 

 A. fiavipes which is equally destructive to the White or 

 Dutch clover. These insects not only injure the plants 

 by nibbling and eating through the leaves, but seriously 

 affect the seed produce, by breeding in the flower-heads, 

 and rendering them partially or entirely abortive. They 

 appear to be in greatest abundance when the clover crop 

 is in flower, at about which period the female lays her 

 eggs. The flower-heads attacked by them soon exhibit 

 symptoms of maturity in advance of the others, and 

 become withered in appearance. If they are opened 

 (as shown in the following woodcut) and examined, 

 three or four little fat white maggots, with small brown 

 heads, will be found curled up at the base of the calyx 



