560 



which to undergo its transformations to pupa, and to imago. It is 

 while searching for a proper place for transformation that the 

 insect is most troublesome. The infested flour becomes felted 

 together and lumpy, the machinery becomes clogged, necessitating 

 frequent and prolonged stoppage, and resulting in a short time in 

 the loss of thousands of dollars, in large establishments. 



'* Although the larva prefers flour or meal, it will attack grain 

 when the former are not available, and it flourishes also on bran, 

 prepared cereal foods, including buckwheat grits and crackers. In 

 California it lives in the nests of a wild bumble bee, and in the 

 hives of the honey bee. 



" In Europe it has been observed that the insect is able to com- 

 plete its life cycle in two months, but from experiments recently 

 conducted at Washington it has been demonstrated that, under the 

 most favourable conditions i.e.; in the warmest weather the life 

 cycle may be passed in thirty. eight days. In its outdoor life there 

 are probably not more than two or three broods in the year, but 

 in well-heated mills or other buildings, six or more generations may 

 be produced. 



" This insect is rapidly becoming distributed throughout the 

 civilised world, but as yet its range is limited. From the reports 

 of its alarming destructiveness in Great Britain and Canada, it 

 would readily be inferred that this moth is peculiarly qualified for 

 an indoor existence in much colder climates than most other grain 

 insects. 



" When a mill is found to be infested, the entire building should 

 be fumigated, and in case a whole district becomes overrun the 

 greatest care must be observed not to spread the infestation. Unin- 

 fested mills should be tightly closed at night, and every bushel of 

 grain, every bag or sack brought into the mill, subjected to a 

 quarantine process, by being disinfected either by heat or bisulphide 

 of carbon." (Farmer's Bulletin, No. 45, U.S.A., Department of 

 Agriculture.) 



HAWK MOTHS. 



The larvae of several species of sphinx moths/eed on the leaves of 

 grape vine. Some of these moths are very handsome, and with wings 

 expanded will measure from two to four inches across, and are a- 

 brownish grey colour, with brown variegations, with brown and 

 pink spots. The moths deposit their eggs on the under surface 

 of the leaves ; after hatching, the larvae feeds on the leaves, and 

 grow rapidly until they obtain their full growth, when those of some 

 species will measure three or four inches in length. They vary in 

 colour, generally green, with golden yellow or reddish spots and 

 stripes, and usually with a horn on the hind end of the body. 

 When fully grown they descend, some entering the earth, and some 

 creep beneath some leaves or other rubbish where they undergo their 

 transformation. 



