June 1895.3 INJURIOUS INSECTS AND FUNfGL 



Grain Weevils. 



The Whe^lt^Yee\i\, Sitophilus (^CaUmdra) gmnai'ia. 1 . Natural size, 

 la. Maguified. 



Ihe Rice Weevil, SitojiJulus (Calandrd ) or/jzce. 2. Natural size. 

 2a. Maguified. 



There are several species of insects wliicli. Ccxuse serious injury 

 tO: grain stored in granaries, and to grain during its transit in 

 vessels from one country to another. 



The most important of these insects are the two weevils 

 figured above, S ItopJt ilits g raiiaria Siiid. Sttophilus oryzca. .Though 

 the latter is called the rice weevil it by no means confines its 

 attacks to rice, and is most destructive to wheat in India and 

 many other countries. It is supposed not to thrive in cold 

 climates so well as its near relati ve the wheat weevil, Bitopidlns 

 granaria, but it is found now in most wheat-growing countries 

 in which wheat is largely stored and shipped for export. The 

 wheat weevil, Bitoplt ilus granaria, is by no means confined to 

 Europe, it is now found in North and South America and in 

 other countries. 



In Great Britain, quantities of both species of these weevils 

 are found in the granaries and corn stores. In the early spring, 

 when the weather is warm, they may be seen swarming on the 

 heaps of wheat, and if the wheat is examined it will be seen that 

 some of the grains have large holes in them in which are either 

 the larvse or pup?e of the weevil, or the perfect weevils. In 

 some cases, a large number of the grains have been found to be 

 punctured and their contents consun,ed by the larvse and weevils. 



Tiie annual loss occasioned by Bitophilus oryzm in India was 

 estimated in 1888 by Mr. Cotes, of the Indian Museum, in 

 Calcutta, at 150,000Z. It has been estimated by a correspondent 

 of Insect Life," published by the authority of the United 

 Sta'tes Secretary of Agriculture, that in the State of Texas alone 

 there is an annual loss of 200,000^. from the same cause. 



The world-wide prevalence of grain weevils was fully demon- 

 strated at the World's Fair at Chicago in 1894^5 as they appeared in 

 0 §6907, 0 



