San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-11-13
THE WICKED WEEVIL.
Uncle Sam Will Try to Stamp
Out the Grain Destroyer.
Crops Worth Millions of Dollars Are
Eaten Every Year by the Little
Pests - New Remedies to
BE Adopted.

The pernicious weevils are making
themselves so obnoxious in this coun-
try that experts of the department of
agriculture are now engaged in making
a special study of them. Every year
they destroy many millions of dollars
worth of stored cereals in granaries
and elevators. In fact, the question
how to fight them is one of serious
and growing economic Importance.
Strange to say, very little scientific at
tention has been directed to these in
sects up to date, and not much is known
about them. 1t is reckoned that they
cause an annual loss of over one mil
lion dollars in Texas alone, and in 1898
the corn crop of Alabama was dam
aged by them TO the extent of one mil
lion six hundred and seventy thou
sand dollars.
There are about forty species of these
insects, some of which are beetles and
others moths. Nearly all of them are
assisted immigrants, having been i'm
ported from abroad in cargoes of
grain. In this manner they have been
distributed by commerce to all parts of
the world.
Three of the species actually live in
the kernels, while the others feed on the
starchy contents. Grain infested by
them is unfit for human consumption
and has been known to cause serious ill
ness. 1t is poisonous to horses and is
not wholesome even for swine. Poul-
try, however, find it palatable and nu-
tritious. The moths especially are so
prolific that the progeny of single pair
in a twelvemonth will number many
thousands, capable of destroying sew
eral tons of grain. Fortunately, the in
crease of these pests is checked to some
extent by natural enemies, among
which are spiders that inhabit mills
and granaries. In the fields they are
preyed upon by birds and bats.
One of the worst of these insects is
the familiar ''granary weevil," which
is mentioned in the Georges of Virgil.
It's ravages made it known long before
the Christian era. 1t is native to the
region of the Mediterranean. Having
been domesticated for so long time, 10
has lost the use of its wings. The
female punctures the kernel with her
snout and inserts an egg from which
is Matched little worm that lives in
the hull and feeds on the starchy in
terror.
Quite as bad as this beetle is a moth
that comes from the Mediterranean re-
gion also. The larva, which is known
in the United States as the "hy weevil, y
| does most injury to corn and wheat.
In six months grain infested by it loses
| forty per cent. in weight and seventy
| five per cent. of its starchy matter. In
| cidentalIy, it is rendered totally unfit
for food, and bread made from wheat
Infested by the insect is said to have
caused an epidemic recently in France.
| The pest was noticed in North Carolina
as early as 1T2S.
Another wicked imported bug is the
"rice weevel." 1t originated in India,
whence it has been distributed by com
merce all over the world. At present it
does as much harm as any other known
insect, being serious pest in the
southern states. In the tropics gener,
ally it does enormous damage. For.
merly, when long voyages were neces-
sary in importing grain from the east
st frequently destroyed whole cargoes
having plenty of time to multiply. The
adult beetles of this species cause much
trouble in storehouses and groceries
by invading boxes of crackers, cakes
yeast cakes and macaroni and barrels
and bins of -four and meal. They can
subsist for months on sugar, and