226 



Saw-tootiied Grain Weevil. 



the leaves, and the damage was noticed as being done in the 

 very early morning or, in fact, almost in the night. The 

 mangold died of the injury as the sun came on it.* 



When pieces only are eaten out of the root the plant never 

 properly develops, but deformed and stunted mangolds result. 



Like most Carabidce, this pest works almost entirely at night 

 and hides away during the day. One favourite hiding place is 

 under stones. Several attacks have been noticed in fields 

 where flints are abundant. 



As far as is known the female lays her eggs either in the 

 earth or under stones. The larvae hatch from the eggs in eight 

 days and appear to be purely carnivorous. They are dark- 

 brown with large head and jaws and six-jointed-legs in front ; 

 when mature they are about two-thirds of an inch long. The 

 end of the body has two long bristly processes. When mature 

 they pupate in the ground and remain as pupae during the 

 winter months. 



After an attack of this pest the land should be deeply ploughed 

 and mangolds should not be grown in neighbouring fields when 

 it is possible to avoid doing so. The beetles have no wings, so 

 cannot travel far ; and although carnivorous their increase would 

 probably thus be checked, since these roots now undoubtedly 

 form one of their favourite foods. When young plants are 

 attacked frequent side and horse-hoeing would disturb them 

 and so do some good. The best plan is possibly to trap the 

 beetles in the fields ; this might be done by putting down sheep 

 skins here and there ; the beetles would shelter beneath them 

 during the day and could then be collected. Sacking or other 

 material should also answer the purpose. No dressings are 

 likely to affect this pest. 



The Saw-toothed Grain Weevil. 



{■Silvanus surinamensis. Linn.) 



This small beetle is one of the commonest pests in grain, 

 groceries, meal, and almost all edible stores. Although it is 



* Ninth Report of Observations on Injurious Insects during 1885, p. 51* 



