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Mustard Beetles. 
These beetles attack various plants of the cabbage tribe. 
They lay their eggs in the opening buds or blossoms, and the 
Fig. 3. — Turnip-blossom Beetle (Meligethes teneus). 
Beetle magnified, and natural size on flower ; larva and jaws, and antenna; of larva, mag. 
grubs, or larvae, which hatch in a few days, feed on various 
parts of the flower. Later on the grubs disperse on the flower- 
stalks and the seed-pods, where they gnaw the surface. At first 
the grubs are whitish, with a broad purple head and purple 
markings ; later on they are yellowish-white. When full fed 
they fall down, and turn to chrysalids in the ground. The 
period occupied from the first laying of the eggs to the first 
observation of chrysalids was from the 8th of June to the 7th 
of July. 
The above remarks are taken from my own observations of the 
habits of Meligethes on rape.* They have been found in great 
numbers on mustard during the past season ; and there is every 
reason to suppose, from the methods of attack mentioned, that 
they have been present in previous years on this crop, but I am 
not aware that the fact has been recorded. In 1881, the year 
of the great turnip-fly attack, Meligethes were also very 
destructive in some parts both of England and Scotland. To 
give one example of their powers, it may be mentioned that 
at Thruxton, Hants, the seed-crop of an eighteen-acre field of 
rape was entirely ruined by them. The Meligethes beetles are 
stated to winter in the ground, and to come out again in April ; 
likewise to have great powers of flight. 
Besides the above-named beetles, a small dark-grey long- 
snouted weevil, the Ceutorhynchus assimilis, Payk., commonly 
called the turnip-seed weevil (Fig. 4), is also to be found 
accompanying the flower-beetle on the blossoming heads. This 
weevil destroys the seeds of various plants of the cabbage tribe,, 
when they are formed in the pods ; and from the state of some 
seed, both of brown and white mustard, sent me, there was every 
appearance of it having been at work ; but 1 had not the 
* "Observations on Meligethes" in 'Entomologist's Monthly Mag.,' 1874. 
