INSECTS OF THE FIELD. 



81 



When full-grown they enter the pupa state in the ground and 

 emerge full-grown beetles. There may be several broods in a 

 season. By having the ground in good condition before the 

 seed is sown the young plants grow rapidly and soon get the 

 start of the beetles. 



The weevils also belong to the same order as the beetles, 

 and are most injurious to grain crops. The pea-weevil may be 

 taken. Its eggs are laid on the outside of the young pod. 

 The larva hatches and eats its way through the pod and into 

 one of the peas, where it lives upon the substance of the pea. 

 The change to the pupa takes place in the pea. Sometimes 

 these beetles come out in the fall, but in most cases they stay 

 inside the peas until spring. They do great damage to the 

 peas by destroying the germ. All grain weevils may be killed 

 by placing in the bins some poisonous substance that will 

 readily evaporate, such as carbon bisulphide. The bins are 

 shut tight and the beetles are killed by the fumes. If 

 the peas are kept over until 

 two years old the beetles will 

 mature and die in the bins the 

 first year, and the seed then 

 sown the second year will be 

 entirely free from the pest. 

 These beetles do not lay their 

 eggs, or oviposit, on dry peas. 

 Any seeds of which the germs 

 have been eaten by the grubs 



will, of course, not sprout. 



if?. 35- Pea-weevil or " pea bujr," life size. 

 A, the mature beetle, enlarged ; H, the 

 larva or grub, enlarged ; larva life size. 



