The Life of the Weevil 
honeyed mouthfuls sipped from the flowers. 
The larva, on the other hand, demands the 
soft bread of the green pea still growing 
inside the pod. For these reasons, the store- 
house knows no further multiplication on the 
part of the ravager introduced at the 
beginning. 
The origin of the mischief lies out of 
doors. It is here more than elsewhere that 
we ought to keep a watch on the Weevil’s 
misdeeds, were it not that we are nearly 
always unarmed when it comes to fighting 
against insects. Indestructible because of 
their numbers, their small size, their sly 
cunning, the little creatures laugh at man’s 
anger. The gardener fumes and curses; the 
Weevil remains unconcerned: imperturbably 
she continues to levy her tithe. 
Fortunately, we have assistants, more 
patient and more clear-sighted than our- 
selves. In the first week of August, when 
the adult Bruchus is beginning to move away, 
I make the acquaintance of a little Chalcis, 
the protector of our peas. In my rearing- 
jars, a number of her comes out of the 
Weevil’s home before my eyes. The female 
has a red head and thorax and a black abdo- 
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