PEOCEEDINGS OF THE THIRD EKTOMOLOGICAL MEETING 715 



III. Spices — 



Lasioderma serr iconic (major). 

 Aoiobium sp. (major). 



IV. General. — The following occur in practically all substances. 

 They are of very minor importance, as they cause very little actual 

 damage and can be kept off with a little care and cleanliness. 



• Alphitcbitis piceus. 

 Ephestia caulella. 

 Pyralis pictalis. 

 Pyralis farinalis. 

 Most of those mentioned under cereals have been dealt with in detail 

 by Messrs. Barnes and Grove {Chemical Memoirs, Vol. IV, No. 6). Below 

 short notes, some embodying new facts, are given on these insects as 

 well as on those not mentioned by Messrs. Barnes and Grove. 



Calandra oryzce (PI. 100). 



This is the commonest of the pests in the store and causes serious 

 damage to stored cereals. In some countries it is known to infest the 

 grains in the field. R. I. Smith observed it laying eggs in fields on 

 ripening corn [maize] on 12th September from which weevils emerged 

 in October {North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station Bull. 203). 

 A. L. Quaintance says " it is to be found in the field early in August. 

 But it is when the corn has b^en gathered and housed however that 

 the rice weevil does the greatest damage " {Florida Agl. Expt. Stn. 

 Bull. No. 36, p. 367). In this country also it probably infests the ripe 

 grains in the fields as it is found in the fields at the ripening time. But 

 the real damage is done in the store. 



The life-history has been dealt with in various Indian publications. 

 The following obscure points have been recently determined. At Pusa 

 the weevils become really active in August and from this time until 

 about October there are three generations in quick succession, each 

 occupying a period of about a month. From about November to July 

 the development is extremely slow, single generations taking about 

 \\ to 6 months. During this period, therefore, there are usually two 

 broods, but there may be a third brood for the more forward ones. 

 During the cold part of this period, viz., from about November to about 

 February, the beetles are more active than in the hot months. Eggs 

 laid in February-March did not develop into adults before July- August. 

 In the case of the more forward ones the extra brood occurs between 

 December and March-April. The broods however are highly over- 



