. Circular. Insects. 6. larvae bore through the burr. On leaving the nuts they burrow into the earth to depths varying from 2 to about 8 inches, according to the hardness of the soil. If confined in soft earth or sand they penetrate still deeper. The larval period probably lasts from three to five weeks in the nuts, and about ten months in the earth, pupation taking place within three weeks of the issuance of the beetle, the latter remaining several days in the earth before appearing above ground. The beetles do not fly readily, but cling tightly to their resting place or drop when disturbed;
. Circular. Insects. 6. larvae bore through the burr. On leaving the nuts they burrow into the earth to depths varying from 2 to about 8 inches, according to the hardness of the soil. If confined in soft earth or sand they penetrate still deeper. The larval period probably lasts from three to five weeks in the nuts, and about ten months in the earth, pupation taking place within three weeks of the issuance of the beetle, the latter remaining several days in the earth before appearing above ground. The beetles do not fly readily, but cling tightly to their resting place or drop when disturbed; yet, as their bodies are not heavy and their wings strong, they are obviously fig. ?.—chinquapins, showing injury by les- able to cover considerable distances, "lrg6r W06ViI especially with the wind. Ordina- rily, however, they are sluggish, like most other weevils, and probably do not go far from the vicinity of the trees which have sheltered them as larvse, although they undoubtedly migrate when food is scarce. NATURAL ENEMIES. A natural enemy of the nut weevils is known, a small four-winged wasplike fly, the braconid parasite Urosigalphus armatus Ashm., which develops in the body of the METHODS OF CONTROL. The most practical remedy for nut weevils that can be suggested is the early destruction of the " worms " in the nuts by means of bisul- phid of carbon and the observance of clean orchard management and other cultural methods. It may be well to preface the discussion of these methods with a statement of the uselessness against nut weevils of ordinary measures employed in the control of similar insects. Unsatisfactory Methods. Stomach poisons.—The peculiar structure, in the nut weevils, of the mouth-parts (minute mandibles placed at the end of a beak nearly as fine as horsehair and as long or longer than the body) is almost sufficient proof in itself that these insects do not feed on leaves, but depend for sustenance on the substance of the growin
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookpublishe, booksubjectinsects
