INSECT PESTS 247 



stored peanut pests in the United States. The two forms have been 

 recorded in peanuts from other parts of the world (Roubaud, (131), T. 

 castaneum and confusum in Senegal; Jarvis, (83), T. castaneum in 

 Australia; Fletcher, (57) and Roepke, (130), Tribolium sp. in Pusa 

 and Java; Okuni, (110), T. castaneum in Formosa). The flour beetles 

 are elongate, reddish-brown insects about 1/7 inch long. The larvae are 

 brownish white and somewhat flattened in appearance. Adults of the two 

 species may be distinguished by the following differences : 



As viewed from the underside of the head, the eyes of the confused flour beetle 

 are separated by about three times the width of either eye, whereas the width of 

 each eye as seen from below in the red flour beetle is about equal to the distance 

 between them. The confused flour beetle has antennae gradually enlarged toward 

 the tip, the red flour beetle suddenly enlarged at the tip; the margin of the head 

 is notched at the eyes in the confused flour beetle and not so notched in other species. 

 (101). 



Adult flour beetles may live 2 years or more, but the average life 

 is about 1 year (11). 



Cadelle. The cadelle beetle, Tenehr aides mauritanicus (L.), appears 

 to be of importance in peanuts, although literature references to infesta- 

 tions are scarce. It has been listed (121) as fourth in importance among 

 stored peanut pests, and has been found to be one of the more common 

 forms in shelled peanuts stored in jute bags (17). Roubaud (131) re- 

 ported it infesting stored peanuts in Senegal. The adult is an oblong, flat- 

 tened beetle, black in color and measuring about 1/3 inch in length. The 

 larva is dirty-white with the head, thoracic shield, and two horny points at 

 the tip of the abdomen black ; it is about % inch long when full-grown. 

 This insect is primarily a pest of grain and flour mills. The larvae some- 

 times bore into wood. Average life of the adult is 1 to 2 years. The extent 

 of its damage to peanuts needs further investigation. 



Dermestids. Several species of dermestids infest peanuts. Among the 

 forms recorded in the literature are Trogoderma bicolor Arrow in peanuts 

 imported into Holland (24) ; Dermestes lardarius L. in peanuts in Europe 

 (173) ; Attagenus gloriosae imported into Holland (not established) in 

 peanuts (74) ; unidentified species of dermestids common in shelled 

 peanuts stored in jute bags in Georgia (17). The dermestids are small 

 beetles that are for the most part scavengers, feeding upon animal matter. 

 Forms that feed on plant products probably supplement the diet with 

 dead bodies of other insects (11). Thus, it would appear that the 



