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29
The owner of the Turmeric was communicated with, and arrangements
made for its immediate removal from the warehouse; in the meantime
the windows of both buildings were kept closed. The premises that had
been rendered untenable were again fumigated and all the insects killed, the
tenants then resuming occupation.
Specimens of both the weevil and the beetle were sent to the Natural
History Museum with a view to their identification, and were there certified
as belonging to the species Lasioderma Serricorne (Fab.), and known as the
"Cigar" or "Cigarette" beetle, owing to the injury done by them in boring
into cigars and cigarettes.
The life history of this insect has not been published in full detail, but the
following short article extracted from the "First Report on Economic
Zoology," by F. Y. Theobald, published by the Trustees of the British
Museum in 1903, may prove of interest:—
(From Reports on Economic Zoology sent in reply to various Correspondents.)
"THE CIGAR BEETLE."
"Dr. Christy, of St. James's Place, forwarded some Indian cigars, a case of
"which were being damaged by a small beetle. The pest is known as the 'Cigar'
"Beetle (Lasioderma testacea Duf.), and is clearly related to the American, West
"Indian, and almost cosmopolitan 'Cigarette' Beetle (Lasioderma Serricorne). It
"is recorded from India as attacking cheroots, rice, saffron, the leaf coverings of
"opium balls, &c.
"They have been noticed largely in Burmah cheroots, and are frequently
"found in Manilla cigars and cheroots. It is almost cosmopolitan, and attacks
"most dry vegetable substances. I do not remember having seen it in Havana
"cigars. The egg stage lasts from eight to sixteen days. The grub stage normally
"takes six weeks, but under unfavourable conditions it may last for a year or
"more. The pupal stage lasts about eight days.
"The beetles may live for two months. The development of the larvae is
"hastened and retarded by heat and cold. Both larvae and beetles do the damage.
"A single tunnel into the cigar, as a rule, stops its drawing, so that the damage
"done by a comparatively small number of beetles and their larvae in a case may
"often be considerable. This pest, when a case is opened and found to be infested,
"may easily be checked by bisulphide fumigation."