INSECTS AFFECTING CEREALS, ETC. 129 



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

 these esculent legumes. The former species La restricted to the pea for 

 food, and though it passes the winter in peas that arc kept in store, does 

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



seed. 



Still another weevil (Arceeerus fasciculatus DeG.), a member of the 

 family Anthribidae, and for which is proposed the name "coffee-bean 



weevil." occurred in abundance during the past year in a local grocery 

 store, having been reported to us by a purchaser who found numbei 

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

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

 species of ginger. 



Certain species of Dercnestida?. it has recently been learned, in addi- 

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

 products. The commonest of these is the black carpet beetle (A Uag 

 pireus Oliv.). an account of which, by Dr. Howard, has appeared in pre- 

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

 been reared from millet, pumpkin, and timothy seed. Trogoderma tor- 

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

 seed, castor beans, cayenne pepper, millet and pumpkin seeds, pea- 

 nuts, and meal and cake manufactured from them. Anthrenus verbasci 

 Linn., a near relative of the so-called '-buffalo moth" treated in pre- 

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

 species. 



A grain beetle known as Cathartus advena Waltl, of the same family 

 as Silvanus surinamensis^ has similar habits to the latter, but is much 

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

 figs, and cacao beans. 



Lcemophlwu8 pusillus Sch., another cucujid beetle, smaller, natter, 

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

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



Several small species of the family Nitidulidae 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 Carpophilus 

 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 larvae do consider- 

 able injury to dried figs. 



The An goumois grain moth Sitotroga cerealella Ol.), a destructive 

 granary insect, is very injurious to popcorn, 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. 



280o— No. i 9 



