2 The Philippine Journal of Science mz 



the cigarette beetle. It is the purpose of this paper to bring 

 together the principal facts concerning the life history,^ the 

 methods used, and the value of fumigants, etc., in the control 

 of the pest. 



The life history and habits of Lasioderma serricorne have 

 been carefully studied and numerous experiments conducted with 

 repellents, traps, and chemicals. 



CLASSIFICATION AND SYNONYMY 



This insect belongs to the family Ptinidse, and was described 

 from America in 1792 by Fabricius,^ as Ptinus serricorne. Gem- 

 minger and Harold* give the following synonymy:^ 



Lasioderma serricorne Fabr., Ent. Syst. (1792), 1, 241; MuLS., Ann. Soc. 



Linn. Lyon (1864), 12, 1, PI. 1, fig. 10. Lec, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 



Phil. (1865), 238. 

 Lasioderma flavescens Dahlb., Dej. Cat. 3. ed. (1837), 129. — 



Lasioderma rufescens Sturm, Cat. (1826), 206. 

 Lasioderma testaceum Duftschm., Fauna Austr. (1859), 3, 46; Sturm, 



Deutschl. Fauna (1837), 11, 89. pt. 237, fig. P. Q. 



DISTRIBUTION AND DISSEMINATION 



All of the principal tropical and subtropical tobacco-producing 

 districts abound with the cigarette beetle. In Cuba and the 

 Philippines it can be found at any season of the year. Its 

 habits and food are such as to aid in its spread without much 

 effort on the part of the insect. For short distances and in 

 factories the beetle spreads by crawling and by flight, and it has 

 been transported to all parts of the temperate and torrid zones 

 with shipments of infested cigars and bales of tobacco, where it 

 enters and deposits its eggs. 



The cars, boats, and other vehicles carrying infested tobacco 

 also become agents of dissemination. In March, 1911, on a trip 

 to the Cagayan Valley in northern Luzon on a steamship, I 

 found adults of the cigarette beetle abundant. This boat a 



' In working out the life cycle in the laboratory, a check was carried 

 giving the factory conditions, and it was found that these coincided with 

 the laboratory experiments. 



* Entomologia Systematica (1792), 1, 241. 



* Catalogus Coleopterorum (1869), 6, 1781. 



' For titles of articles dealing with the economy of the beetle, see Nathan 

 Banks, Bibliography of American Economic Entomology. Div. Ent. U. S. 

 Dept. Agr. 



