CLOVKR WEEVILS. 



S9 



shire by the Weevil maggots feeding in the seed-heads. In one case 

 specimens were sent from a fifty-acre field of Clover, of maggots which 

 were feeding at the base of the florets, and it was stated that every 

 Clover field in the neighbourhood was similarly attacked. 



The common method of attack, as noted in the case of the "Purple 

 Clover Weevil" (the Apion apricans), is that it lives through the 

 winter, and in due season the female Weevils lay their eggs in the 

 blossoming Clover heads. The maggots from these feed on the 

 forming seed, and turn to chrysalids (to some extent at least) in the 

 dying flowers. From these chrysalids Weevils develop in a fortnight, 

 but with the late brood some may remain in chrysalis state until 

 spring. In regular course of life the first brood of beetles develops in 

 time to start a second brood to infest the second crop of Clover. They 

 may be seen swarming out in nunabers from the Clover stacks where 

 they have been stored in chrysalis state, and are ready to do mischief, 

 firstly, by devouring the leafage themselves ; next, by laying eggs in 

 the Clover heads. 



So far as I know, we have not any notes of the change from chrysalis 

 to beetle taking place amongst the root leafage, or on the ground, but I 

 have myself found the maggots straying about in the flowering heads, 

 and there does not appear to be any reason why these, if they fell to 

 the ground, should not develop in any shelter there as well as in the 

 heads. And in the case of the injury to Mr. Paine's young Dutch 

 Clover, as this was noticeable as severe before the beetles were noticed 

 to be escaping from the stack, this appears to point to the enemy being 

 on the field. 



On the 17th of August, Mr. Paine wiote further respecting the 

 infestation of his Dutch Clover : — " As regards the field I cannot now 

 perceive any there ; " . . . " but my stack and stackyard are still 

 infested, indeed quite alive with them." — (G. J. P.) 



Prevention and Eememes. — So far as I am aware all the recorded 

 measures refer to prevention, and mostly for the purpose of preventing 

 injury to the seed-heads. I do not find any notes of treatment as a 

 remedy to beetle presence on the leafage, although the injury was 

 described as long ago as 1844, by Mr. W. Trenchard, of Sherborne : — 

 " I have a field of Clover which has been twice mown, and there is now 

 a fine aftermath. The part of the field near the stack has been lately 

 attacked by a small black Weevil, which advances in a semi-circle, 

 totally destroying every leaf, leaving only the fibre. I should think 

 there are on some of the leaves as many as 100 or 150. Since last 

 night they have eaten nearly as much as would have kept a sheep." — 

 (W. T.)* 



* Curtis' 'Farm Insects,' p. 477. 



