84 ' COLEOPTEEA. 



fest grain. I am not aware that these weevils attack wheat 

 in New England; but I have seen stored Southern corn 

 swarming with them ; and, should they multiply and extend 

 in this section of the country, they will become a source 

 of serious injury to one of the most valuable of our staple 

 productions. It is said that this weevil lays its eggs on the 

 rice in the fields, as soon as the grain begins to swell. If 

 this indeed be true, we have very little to fear from it here, 

 our Indian corn being so well protected by the husks that it 

 would probably escape from any injury, if attacked. On 

 the contrary, if the insects multiply in stored grain, then 

 our utmost care will be necessary to prevent them from 

 infesting our own garners. The parent beetle bores a hole 

 into the grain, and drops therein a single egg, going from 

 one grain to another till all her eggs are laid. She then 

 dies, leaving, however, the rice well seeded for a future 

 harvest of weevil-grubs. In due time the eggs are hatched, 

 the grubs live securely and unseen in the centre of the 

 rice, devouring a considerable portion of its substance, and 

 when frdly grown they gnaw a little hole through the end 

 of the grain, artfully stopping it up again with particles of 

 rice-flour, and then are changed to pupae. This usually 

 occurs during the winter ; and in the following spring the 

 insects are transformed to beetles, and come out of the 

 grain. By winnowing and sifting the rice in the spring, 

 the beetles can be separated, and then should be gathered 

 immediately and destroyed. 



The sudden change of the temperature that generally 

 occurs in the early part of May, brings out great numbers 

 of insects from their winter quarters, to enjoy the sunshine 

 and the ardent heat which are congenial to their natures. 

 While a continued hum is heard, among the branches of 

 the trees, from thousands of bees and flies, drawn thither 

 by the fragrance of the bursting buds and the tender foliage, 

 and the very ground beneath our feet seems teeming with 

 insect life, swarms of little beetles of various kinds come 



