PACKARD.] THE BEAN- WEEVIL. 767 



pea is planted. Sometiraes every pea in a pod contains a grub. So 

 numerous at times is it that the cultivation of the pea has been aban- 

 doned. By diminishing the weight of the pea it causes a great loss in 

 the crop. 



The pea-weevil is a native of this country, and has been introduced 

 into Southern and Central Europe. It was first noticed by gardeners as 

 injurious in Pennsylvania, but is now abundant all over the Northern 

 and Western States. 



Remedies. — The seed should be kept sealed up in tin cans over one year 

 before planting. In this way the weevils, which live but a single year, 

 would die before being liberated. It is also customary to soak peas in 

 boiling water for a few minutes before planting,' by so doing the sprout- 

 ing of the seed will be hastened and the peas get their growth in part 

 before the weevils attack them. As the weevils appear only once during 

 the summer, at the time when the pea usually flowers, if a second crop 

 is planted, they will be free from the attacks of weevils. 



The crow blackbird is known to destroy great numbers of weevils in 

 spring, and the Baltimore oriole splits open the green pods in search for 

 grubs. 



INSECTS INFESTING THE BEAN. 



The Bean-Wkevii., Bnicltus fahce Riley (Fig. 34). — Injuring beans in the same 

 manner as peas, except that the Ijeans are tenanted by several weevils; a similar but 

 smaller weevil. 



This very destructive weevil seems, according to Mr. Eiley, to be indig- 

 €nous, and has become injurious in the vicinity of New York, in Illi- 

 nois, and in Missouri, bidding fair to become a most 

 formidable pest of our bean-crop. Mr. Angus has been 

 the first to detect its ravages, having found it to be 

 already very destructive at West Farms, N. Y. Sev- 

 eral years since he sent me specimens, and in 1870 

 wrote me more particularly about its ravages, as fol- 

 lows : " I also send you a sample of beans, which I 

 think will startle you, if you have not seen such be- 

 fore. I discovered this beetle in the kidney or bush 

 beans a few years ago, and they have been greatly on 

 the increase every year since. I might say much on 

 the gloomy prospect before us in the cultivation of Fig. 34.— Grub 

 this important garden and farm product, if the work Bean-Weevil, 

 of this insect is not cut short by some means or other. The pea bruchus 

 is bad enough, but this is worse." 



Description. — It closely resembles the pea-weevil (Bruchus liisi). It is rather smaller 

 than the pea-weevil, measuring 0.15 of an inch in length, while the latter is 0.20 of an 

 inch in length. Compared with that insect, it is lighter and more uniform in color, be- 

 ing of a tawny-gray, without the white spots so conspicuous in B. pisi. The uniform 

 tawny-gray elytra are spotted with a few oblong dark spots, situated between the 

 8tria> ; the antennai also differ in having tho four basal joints more reddish than in B. 

 j)i8i, while the terminal joint is red, being blackish-brown in B.pisi. The fore legs are 

 much redder, and the two hind pairs are reddish where tliey are dark brown in B. pisi. 

 The spine on the hind femora is smaller but longer, and the autenuaj are flatter, the 

 joints being fiirther separated, and the whole body narrower than in B. pisi. 



The larva (Fig. 33) is short, thick, fleshy, footless, and about | inch long. The pupa 

 is white, and measures 0.17 of an inch in length. The head is laid upon the breast, 

 tho red tip of the mandibles reaching to tho base of the tarsi of tho first pair of feet. 

 The two front pair of legs are folded on the breast at right angles to the body, tho 

 tarsi of the second pair reaching a little beyond the anterior third of tho body, while 

 the hind pair are concealed beneath the wings. The elytra are laid along the side of 

 the body, directed obliquely downward, and are marked with deep longitudinal ribs ; 

 the under or hind pair of wings, which are much narrower than the elytra, project 



