20 BULLETIN 737, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
The duration of the pupa stage of the tobacco beetle at room tem- 
peratures during the warmer months of the year in several localities 
was as follows: At Key West, Fla., between May 13 and June 4, the 
average time as shown by 10 records was 6 days and the shortest 
period 5 days. At Richmond, Va., the average of 11 records at room 
temperatures was 7.8 days, the shortest period 6 days, and the longest 
period 12 days. At Appomattox, Va., the average of 12 records ob- 
tained during July and August was 8.1 days. During September 
three records show pupal periods of 7, 8, and 9 days, respectively. 
At Clarksville, Tenn., 3 records secured during April and May show 
an average of 13.6 days, and 10 records during the period between 
July 29 and October 1 an average of 7.8 days. At Tampa, Fla., 21 
records during July show an average of approximately 7 days, and 
6 records during October show an average of 8.1 days. 
THE ADULT. 
When transformation to the adult stage has taken place the beetle 
hes inactive within the pupal cell for a period of three to seven 
days—usually about five days. After emergence it remains at rest 
for a day or more on the outside of the cell; the color of the beetle 
gradually becomes darker, and the normal shade of brown is reached 
about the time it has completed the resting period. The beetles are 
comparatively soft immediately after transforming and do not attain 
their final degree of hardness until they are ready to move away 
from the pupal cell. 
The adults vary greatly in size. This undoubtedly is due to breed- . 
ing conditions, the quality or abundance of food obtained by the 
insect while in the larva or feeding stage being the most important 
factor. The females will average larger in size than the males and 
they are also less active. In the vicinity of infested warehouses or 
factories beetles frequently are found in surrounding dwellings, and 
on several occasions were observed by the writer to fly from one 
tobacco warehouse to another located on the opposite side of the 
street. They avoid intense light, moving about most actively in sub- 
dued light or in darkness. When in the dark they are attracted 
toward subdued or artificial lights, and in tobacco warehouses often 
may be found in great numbers at the windows in late afternoon, 
the flight toward the windows being heaviest at sunset. Observa- 
tions made at regular intervals throughout the night in a cigar fac-. 
tory showed that they were taken at a trap light at all hours of the 
night. During the day the greater number will be found in secluded 
places, such as crevices in the walls, or along the casings of windows, 
and within the leaf tobacco. When at rest the head and thorax are 
drawn downward (PI. IIT, fig. 1). They have a habit of feigning 
