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THE PEA AND BEAN WEEVILS. 
The life-histories of these two insects have been comparatively well 
known to economic entomologists for many years, but even in recently 
published accounts some misstatements are to be found, and there is 
little wonder that.with practical people the question should still be 
raised as to whether either or both will continue to breed in stored 
seeds. The text for this résumé of the main facts in the life-histories 
of these insects will be found in the following communication from 
Peter Henderson & Co., the large seed dealers in New York City: 
We send some beans infested with what we suppose is the Bean Weevil (Bruchus 
fabe). The ravages of this insect are enormous and we think are increasing. We 
are led to believe that the eggs are laid on the pod when growing, and that it is in 
the larval stage that all the feeding and consequent damage is done; further, that 
after the larval and feeding stage it passes into the chrysalis, and there remains 
dormant until spring or artificial warmth leads it to emerge from the place prepared 
by the larva. We also are of the opinion that the adult insect is perfectly harmless 
to any seed beans, notwithstanding the opinion of one of our large growers, who 
claims that ‘“‘the bugs travel from bag to bag and bin to bin and eat the holes,” 
similar to the ones in sample sent. Our limited knowledge of entomology leads us 
to suppose his theory is totally impossible, but, seeing that such an important issue 
is involved, we take the liberty to ask the benefit of your knowledge. * * ~* 
Comparatively full accounts of both the Pea Weevil and the Bean _ 
Weevil were published in the Third Report on the Insects of Missouri 
(pp. 44 to 50 and 52 to 56), and from these accounts and our subse- 
quent notes we have prepared the following summary: 
THE PEA WEEVIL (Bruchus pisi Linn). 
The adult Pea Weevil is shown at Fig. 40), with the natural size 
indicated at the small outline €% 
below. Itis about 5mm. long @®) 
and its general color is rusty 
black, with more or less white 
on the wing-covers, and a dis- 
tinct white spot on the hinder 
part of the thorax, near the 
scutellum. The beetles begin 
to appear about the time the 
peas are in blossom,and When ce ee ee rae 
the young pods form the fe- cated by smaller figures below (after Curtis). 
males lay their eggs upon the surface without attempting to insert them. 
These eggs, as Shown at Fig. 41, are deep yellow in color, 1.5 mm. long, 
three times as long as wide, fusiform, pointed in front, blunt behind, 
but larger anteriorly than posteriorly. They are fastened in front by 
some viscid fluid which turns white in drying. It is probable that the 
