Vol 8D No. 1, February 1913
General Biology, Ethnology, and Anthropology
No. of Page: 50
1-51
The Cigarette Beetle (Lasioderma serricorne Fabr.) in the Philippine Islands
By Charles R. Jones
Entomological Section, Biological Laboratory, Bureau of Science, Manila, P.I
Introduction
The cigarette beetle (Lasioderma serricorne Fabr.) has been prominent for many years as a destroyer of stored vegetable products and is one of the worst pests in the tobacco industry. It ravages, especially to the manufactured product in tropical countries, are very large. The annual loss in Manila varies from 6,000 to 13,000 pesos (3,000 to 6,500) dollars United States currency) per factory for cigars actually destroyed in the factory alone. This represents but a small fraction of the real loss, for these figures do not include the shipments of infested cigars, which give a bad reputation to Manila cigars, and lead to a far greater loss to the factory than does any oc casional loss of goods or damage due directly to the cigarette beetle.
The Insular Collector of Customs shows a decrease in the exportation to the United States of tobacco and tobacco products from 4,023,404 pesos in 1910 to 1,483,544 pesos in 1911. The bulk of this decrease can undoubtedly be attributed indirectly to the cigarette beetle. It is the purpose of this paper to bring together the principal facts concerning the life history, the methods used, and the value of fumigants, etc., in the control of the pest.
The life history and habits of Lasioderma serricorne have been carefully studied and numerous experiments conducted with repellents, traps, and chemicals. . . . . read more
