INSECTS INJURIOUS TO CEREALS 261 



used for this purpose in the South, perhaps during the 

 war, when the Spanish beetles were not obtainable. So 

 far as the author is aware, however, the granary weevils 

 are not generally used for that purpose at present. 



Cantharadin is a most dangerous and violent drug to 

 take internally. It is quite possible that the finely ground 

 bodies of the granary weevils, since they seem to possess 

 much the same qualities as the Spanish flies, are also 

 dangerous when taken into the alimentary canal. In 

 that case, flour containing the pulverized bodies of these 

 insects might prove seriously injurious to persons eating 

 it. Undoubtedly flour is often made from wheat that is 

 badly infested with these weevils. 



THE RICE WEEVIL 



Calandra oryzae 



The rice weevil seems to have originated in India, 

 whence it has spread to all parts of the world. Because 

 it was first found in rice it has always been known as 

 the rice weevil. It is undoubtedly the more 

 important and more injurious weevil of the 

 two in this country, although it may not 

 be as widely distributed as the first one. 

 It occurs especially in warm countries and 

 for that reason is very abundant and in- 

 jurious in our Southern states. 



The rice weevil is very similar in appear- 

 ance to the granary weevil. It is just about 

 the same size, with a similar proboscis, but .' 81 -~ T ? e 



, i 11 i i weevil. 



varies m being dull brown m color in con- (x 7.) 



