1899] ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 71 



As to the pea-weevil, its ravages are of such great importance that the general adop- 

 tion of fumigation by caibon bisulphide after harvesting might with much good reason 

 be insisted upon by the Government. 



The Clover Root Borer (Hylesinus trifolii), Fig. 27, destroyed many clover crops this 

 year in the vicinity of Belleville. F. R. Marshall, a recent graduate of the College, 

 writes thus : " In early and middle June it was apparent that the red clover was not 

 blossoming properly. Many plants did not blossom at all ; many others produced imper- 

 fect heads. In fields where the clover was two years old, every plant was affected. In 

 one year old clover a smaller proportion of the plants was injured, but since then the 

 effects of the insect are noticeable all over the field. 



I have not found any alsike clover affected. There were some Lucerne plants in the 

 field, but they are not at all damaged. 



Until July 12th, I found nothing but adults. On that date I found several larvae, 

 some well grown which were all in the lower portions of the root, and the beetles up near 

 the crown. There were from 2 to 7 larvae in a single root and 2 to 4 beetles. 



On Aug. 8th, there were still many larvse ; some pupae, and few adults. 



On Sept. 5th, there were some larvae and many adults ; the adults being in the 

 lower portions of the root and very inactive. 



Stored Grain frequently suffer from the depredations of certain moths and beetles. 

 of which the Granary Beetle (Oalandra granaria) is perhaps the most troublesome. It is 

 a small brown snout beetle which punctures the outer shell in which she deposits her 

 eggs. The young footless grubs eat the inside of the kernel, and in about six weeks from 

 the time the eggs are deposited the adults appear. 



The Saw-Toothed Grain Beetle (Silvanus surinamensis) is occasionally quite a pest. 

 Just lately I received a package of wheat, from a farm near Waterdown, which had been 

 stored, and which was very badly infested with both this beetle and the Cadelle (Tene= 

 broides mauritanicus). According to some authorities it is supposed that the Cadelle is 

 beneficial rather than harmful, as it preys upon the other pests. 



ASPARAGUS BEETLES. 



By W. N. Hutt, B.S.A., Southend. 



Beetles were first noticed May 8th on the second or third cutting of asparagus (two 

 species — one red with dark spots, the other steel blue with light spots). Little attention 

 was given to the insects as they were not numerous and did not seem to eat the stalks at 

 all. The red species was most commonly seen, the blue beetles being comparatively 

 scarce. In a few days the dark elongated eggs were found in scattered patches on the 

 small spindling stalks which were not cut. There were about 12 to 20 eggs in a patch. 

 In a few days the eggs hatched and small dark larvse resembling the pear slug appeared. 

 They grew rapidly, eating the soft tissue just back of the growing points. On approach- 

 ing them the larvae have a peculiar habit of raising their heads and excreting a dark 

 viscid fluid. 



At the ends of the plantation adjoining a sod headland, the beetles were found to be 

 much more numerous, owing undoubtedly to the fact that in the sod their pupae had 

 been undisturbed by cultivation. Here the larvae attacked the large and marketable 

 shoots and rendered them worthless by eating o>ff the green portions behind the growing 

 point and smearing them over with slimy castings. 



After this the beetles were, during each cutting of asparagus, picked off and de- 

 stroyed and all small and spindling stalks cut away so as to leave no harbor for the larvse. 

 In this way the larvae were kept in check but the beetles, in spite of the most careful 

 hand-picking seemed rather to increase. 



