. Insect transformations . entioned the ravages committed ingranaries bv the caterpillars of small moths ; butthese are rivalled in the work of destruction byseveral species of grubs. One of these grubs is * Kalms Travels, vol. i, p. 173. t Amorou.\, Insectes Venimeux, 288. Kirby and Spence,i, 177. VCHL. VI. 20* 234 INSECT TRANSFORMATIONS. called by the French cadelle (Trogosita mauritanica,Olivier), and is reported to have done more damageto housed grain than any other insect.* The pestof the granaries, which is but too well known in thiscountry, is the grain weevil [Calandra granaria,Clairvi
. Insect transformations . entioned the ravages committed ingranaries bv the caterpillars of small moths ; butthese are rivalled in the work of destruction byseveral species of grubs. One of these grubs is * Kalms Travels, vol. i, p. 173. t Amorou.\, Insectes Venimeux, 288. Kirby and Spence,i, 177. VCHL. VI. 20* 234 INSECT TRANSFORMATIONS. called by the French cadelle (Trogosita mauritanica,Olivier), and is reported to have done more damageto housed grain than any other insect.* The pestof the granaries, which is but too well known in thiscountry, is the grain weevil [Calandra granaria,Clairville), the same, probably, which is mentionedby Virgil, ■Populatque ingentem farris acer\um Curculio. Georg. i, 87. The high stacks of corn Are wasted by the weevil. Trapp. Kirby and Spence calculate that a single pair ofweevils may produce in one season 6000 descendants;and they were told by an extensive brewer that hehad collected and destroyed them by bushelsjt —meaning, no doubt, insects and damaged grain Corn weevil (Cahnuh-a graMitrio), magnified. Another beetle grub, popularly called the mealworm, the larva of Tenehrio molilor, Linn., whichlives in that state two years, does no little damage toflour, as well as to bread, cakes, biscuit, and similaiarticles. Accounts are also given of the ravages com-mitted by the grubs of other beetles, of several speciesapparently not well ascertained, upon different sorts ofprovisions, such as bacon, ham, dried tongues, ship-biscuit, &c. Sparrman tells us, that he has wit-nessed the ground peas on ship-board so infested * Olivier, ii, 19. t lutr. i, 173. RAVAGES OF GRUBS. 235 with these grubs, that tlicy were seen in everyspoonful of the soup. Jn the case of soup, or of otherfood which has been exposed to lieut, the onlyinconvenience is tlie ;fi;ust wliich must ensue;but, unfortunatelv, there may sometimes occur cir-cumstances of a more serious nature, — from eitherthe eggs or the insects themselves being incautiou
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