August, .'15] 



ESSIG: DRIED-FRUIT BEETLE 



397 



or elytra. Very often the large spots run together to form a single area while the 

 small spots may be almost entirely obliterated. In the newly emerged adults all 

 of the spots appear like shining silver, then gradually become orange or amber- 

 bro^n and finally quite dark brown. The antennae and legs are reddish or amber. 

 The siorface of the body is finely punctured, the small circular pits being visible 

 only under a microscope or good hand lens. From each puncture there arises a. 

 small hair. On the elytra the hairs are noticeably longer than those arising from 

 punctures elsewhere on the body. The most conspicuous characteristic about the 

 beetles is the very short elytra which do not reach to the tip of the abdomen, but 

 permit the exposure of the last two abdominal segments. On the tibise of the legs,, 

 especially the middle and hind pairs, there are very noticeable spines as shown in 

 the drawing (Figure 20). 



Life-History 



The complete life-history has not been thoroughly worked out in 

 California, but probably does not greatly differ from those of well- 

 known insects of similar habits. It certainly does not require a long 

 period to complete a life cycle under favorable conditions during both 

 summer and winter months. The eggs are laid upon the outside of 

 the fruit or on the inside if the female can gain an entrance. The 

 greatest numbers are deposited in the spring and hatch in about one 

 week according to French.^ Very often the eggs are laid upon the 

 fruit before it leaves the trees or while it is drying upon the trays in 

 the open before it reaches the packing sheds, which accounts for infes- 

 tations before the fruit finally arrives at the storehouses. The length 

 of the larval period varies considerably and is shortest during the 

 warm summer months and longest under favorable concUtions in 

 Tvdnter or may be entirely retarded if exposed to cold climatic condi- 

 tions during the winter as is often the case. The shortest period is 

 about four weeks and the longest about as many months. The pupal 

 stage is comparatively short, ordinarily requiring but two weeks. 



There are many broods a year as breeding w^ill continue throughout 

 the year under warm storehouse conditions as are often afforded in 

 the winter. 



All stages are to be found in the fruit and no part of the package 

 or storage bin escapes infestation. 



Nature of Work 



The larvae and adults feed directly upon the fresh and dried fruits. 

 However, the loss due to the amount of fruit actually consumed is 

 small compared to the loss due simply to the presence of their excreta, 

 larvae, pupa3, adults and the moulting skins which together make a 

 most disgusting looking mess of the infested fruit. Even if subse- 

 quently killed it is very difficult to remove the remains, which are 

 not easily obscured from the vigil eye of the careful housewife, and 



