U. S. D. A., B. E. Bui. 64, Part VII. Issued August 5, 1909. 



SOME MISCELLANEOUS RESULTS OF THE WORK 

 OF THE BUREAU OF EXTOMOLOGY-IX. 



NEW BREEDING RECORDS OF THE COFFEE-BEAN WEEVIL. 



(Arsecerus fasciculatus De Geer.) 

 By E. S. Tucker, 

 Special Field Agent. 



INTRODUCTION. 



While making field observations upon the cotton boll weevil during 

 the past season (1908) , a large plantation situated 6 miles south of Alex- 

 andria, La., was visited on September 18 and again on December 4. 

 On my first visit at this place the overseer directed my attention 

 to the work of strange weevils occurring in dried cornstalks in fields 

 adjacent to cotton. Upon examination the larval and pupal stages 

 and sometimes a few adults of the insects were found in the pith, at 

 or close to the joints (PL III). These specimens were identified as 

 the coffee-bean weevil (Arsecerus fasciculatus De Geer) (fig. 18), and 

 the selection of cornstalks for breeding purposes places the species 

 on record as a new enemy to be encountered in cornfields. 



NATURE OF INJURY TO CORN. 



According to the statements of the overseer, the working of these 

 weevils in cornstalks during the past year was more noticeable 

 than in the preceding season, when he first detected the insects at 

 work. He claimed that the attacks began in green stalks before the 

 corn matured and thus caused stunted ears. Being a close observer, 

 he first noticed their attacks during the last week of August , while the 

 stalks were still fresh and sappy, although the leaves had begun to 

 dry. These facts prove beyond question that the larvae were hatched 

 within living tissues of the plants. Furthermore, he expressed a 

 firm belief that the holes made by these insects for emergence from 

 the stalks afterwards offer a retreat for cotton boll weevils, which 

 may enter and hibernate in the pith. His opinion in this respect 

 was supported by the claim that he had found boll weevils in such 

 places at the time the land was being prepared for spring planting. 



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