THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



93 



Hypophloeus depressus is found in cornmills, bakehouses, &c, in 

 London and Liverpool. 



Alphitobius diaperinus occurs in flour warehouses. 



Alphitobius piceus occurs in bakehouses and granaries, where the 

 larva feed on corn and flour. 



Tenebrio obscurus. The larva is one of the meal worms, which is 

 said to feed on sound flour ; they occur in bakehouses and flour warehouses, 

 in London, Paisley, Carlisle, and Manchester. 



Tenebrio molitor. The larva is the common meal worm, which are 

 sold and bred by bird fanciers. It frequents bakehouses, flour warehouses, 

 corn mills, granaries, devouring flour, meal, and bran. It is also destructive 

 to books, my son brought me a larva which he found eating galleries quite 

 through them. They also destroy ship biscuit, by feeding and breeding in 

 them. Insectivorous birds are fond of the larva. 



Heteromera. I have -found larva of a beetle of the Family Tenebrio- 

 nidse, feeding in liquorice roots, from which I have reared the perfect insects. 

 At present the name of the species is not known. 



Calandra granaria the corn weevil), is the most destructive of the 

 British Curculionidse, or the beetles which have a rostrum on the beak. It 

 attacks stored-up grains of wheat and barley ; the female deposits an egg in 

 each grain, the interior of which is entirely consumed by the larva, sometimes 

 the whole of the corn. In some of our corn stores is a complete living mass 

 of these insects, thousands of sacks having in consequence to be thrown 

 away. I dont think it is wise to store grain too long, as it is almost certain 

 to be attacked with weevils. This species also feeds on biscuits. Tar is said 

 to prevent weevils from entering or remaining in granaries. 



Calandra oryzae (the rice weevil), is a very destructive insect, the larva 

 feeds in rice, maize, wheat, and biscuits. It is common in grocery establish- 

 ments, corn stores and mills, &c. Its habits are similar to the preceding 

 species. It is very common in ship biscuits. I have been informed that 

 i sailors very often steep their biscuits in hot coffee to kill the weevils. 



Xyleborus saxeseni is a small beetle which infest the oak in the 

 South of England. This species has recently been found feeding in the 

 staves of beer barrels en route to India ; on arriving at their destination a 

 great quantity of the beer had escaped, in consequence of the barrels being 

 bored by these insects. 



Bruchus pisi (the pea weevil). The perfect insects are found on the 

 plants during the period of flowering. The larva feed in the interior of the 



