A.pomorum, Apple weevil. Mr. Curtis truly observes, that "this insect commits great devastation in apple orchards, by destroying the stamens, pistil, and receptacle of the flower. As soon as the blossom buds begin to swell, the female beetle begins to deposit her eggs. In calm weather she selects a good bud, and makes a hole in it with her proboscis; she fixes herself at the hole, lays one egg, and goes on till she has deposited a considerable number of eggs in separate buds.

"The bud continues to swell and the petals nearly expand, when suddenly the growth ceases and the petals wither and assume a shrivelled appearance. If one of these flower buds be examined when nearly expanded, a small white grain with a black head will be found in the centre, which begins to assume a yellowish colour; a few days later the grub will be found either wholly or partially changed to a beetle, and should there be a small hole on the side of the receptacle the beetle will have escaped; the transformation from the egg to the perfect state not having occupied more than a month. When this beetle, which is dark brown with grey stripes, leaves the receptacle, it feeds during the summer on the leaves of the trees, and is seldom to be seen. In the autumn, the weevils leave the trees and search for convenient hiding-places under stones about the trees, or under the rough bark, in which they pass the winter.

"Consequently, as they commence their operations early in the spring, care should be taken to remove all stones, dead leaves, and other litter from under the trees, as well as to scrape off the rough dead bark from them in the winter season.

"The apple weevil is also very injurious to pear trees." - Gard. Chron.