INSECTS AFFECTING CEREALS, ETC. 129 



often eaten when in the larval condition, safely screened from view in 

 these esculent legumes. The former species is restricted to the [H-a for 

 food, and though it passes tlie winter in peas that are kept in store, does 

 not breed, as does the latter, for successive generations in the same 

 seed. 



Still anothev weevil {Araceru.s fa.scicuJatu.s ])e(r.), a member of the 

 family Antliribid;e, and for which is proposed the name '-cotiee-bean 

 weevil," occurred in abundance during the year 1895 in a local grocery 

 store, having been reported to us by a purchaser who found numl^ersof 

 the beetles in dried apples. This species infests, besides coffee beans 

 and dried apples, mace, nutmegs, chocolate beans, and the roots of a 

 species of ginger. 



Certain species of Dermestid*, it has recently been learne<l. in addi- 

 tion to a diet of dried animal matter, attack cereals and other vegetable 

 products. The couinnjuest of these is the black carpet beetle {Attarjenus 

 piceus Oliv.). an account of which, by Dr. Howard, has aii[)eared in pre- 

 ceding pages. Its larva breeds in cereals, ground and whole, and has 

 been reared from millet, pumpkin, and timothy seed. Tror/oderma tar- 

 sale Melsh. has similar habits, and has been found living in grain, flax- 

 seed, castor beans, cayenne x^epper. millet and pumpkin seeds, pea- 

 nuts, and meal and cake manufactured frtmi them. Anihrenus rerbasci 

 Linn., a near relative of the so-called --buffalo moth" treated in i>re- 

 vious pages, has nearly the same food habits as the two preceding 

 species. 



A grain beetle known as Catltarti/.s advtna Waltl.of the same family 

 as tSilvanus siirinarneiisis, has similar habits to the latter, but is much 

 rarer in stored products. It has been taken by the writer in cereals, 

 dry dates, figs, and cacao beans. 



Lcvmophloeus pxisillus Sch., another cucujid beetle, smaller, fiatter, 

 and with longer anteniue than the preceding, occurs in flour, meal, 

 grain, etc., but, as it is at least partially predaceous, does little harm. 



Sev^eral small species of the family Xitidulidte are at times very 

 injurious to dried fruits, but seldom occur abundantly in this country, 

 except in the South. One of the commonest of these is CarpophiUis 

 hemipterus Linn. 



A gray moth of the genus Ephestia, related to the Indian-meal moth, 

 sometimes occurs with this latter in nuts and fruits. It is about equally 

 common in English walnuts, and its pinkish-striped larvie do consider- 

 able injury to dried figs. 



The Angoumois grain moth (Sitotrotja ccrcaJella Ol.), a destructive 

 granary insect, is very injurious to jiopcorn, and infests also rice and 

 and other cereals. 



REMEDIES. 



A considerable percentage of injury to the dried vegetable products 

 of the household may be prevented by a moderate degree of care when 

 purchasing, and in storing in tight receptacles in cool, dry rooms. 

 21470— Xo. I 9 



