The Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Victoria . y, 1912. to a greater or lesser degree as well as a number of garden plants. Itis, however, probable that on the whole the trees that suffer most fromits attack at the present time are Olives, Almonds, and Figs. Owing to its shyness and nocturnal habits this insect is particularlyhard to cope with. In many places its ravages were observed long beforethe real cause of the trouble was discovered. Growers, being at a lossto understand the cause of the damage done to their trees, attributed themischief, in some cases, to innocent, inoffensiv
The Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Victoria . y, 1912. to a greater or lesser degree as well as a number of garden plants. Itis, however, probable that on the whole the trees that suffer most fromits attack at the present time are Olives, Almonds, and Figs. Owing to its shyness and nocturnal habits this insect is particularlyhard to cope with. In many places its ravages were observed long beforethe real cause of the trouble was discovered. Growers, being at a lossto understand the cause of the damage done to their trees, attributed themischief, in some cases, to innocent, inoffensive insects that happened to?be present at the time. The gnawed and ragged edges of the leaves,noticeable where it has attacked, are unfailing indications of the presenceof a chewing or mandibulate pest. Nevertheless, its extreme shynessin hastily dropping to the ground, its precipitate efforts at concealment,and its cunning instinct in feigning death in the presence of danger, haveoften robbed the grower of any suspicion that he may have had regarding. FIG. 19. TERMINALS OF OLIVE SHOOTS ATTACKED BY CURCULIO BEETLE its destructive work, and he has allowed it \o go unharmed. This powerof simulating death, the natural colour of the adult insect, and its tend-ency to seek a hiding place in the darkened interstices of the soil or amongdecaying vegetable matter similar in colour to itself, have often aided itin escaping detection. The Curculio Beetle belongs to the great family {curculionida) orweevils, which comprises some of the worst pests with which the horticul-turist has to contend, such as the apple root borer {Leflops hofei); theplum curculio (conotrachelus nemipJiar), etc. With seed of variouskinds, and trees and plants, both indigenous and exotic, the members ofthis family have done incalculable damage, and are likely to continuetheir destructive work for some time to come owing to the many difficultiesin the way of their suppression. The adult insect usually measures about
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