THE KHAPRA BEETLE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 44, 16 November 1920, Page 10

THE KHAPRA BEETLE

PROVED NOT TO EXIST IN AUSTRALIA. , (Roc. November 15, 7.15 p.m.) ' Sydney, November 15. With reference to tho pest khaprn tho Minister of 'Agriculture has secured a report from Departmental experts which disproves the statement, that the khapra ousts in Australia; Tho report adds that none of the entomologists ever found tho khapra beetle in New South \Vnle3_wheat, and .they are equally certain it is not to be found nnywliero else in Australia. It will probably be established that the khapra lias not been recordod a« a wheat pest anywhere but in Tiid'n.—Press Assn. , of Sis evidence, given before the New South Wales Select Committee on Agriculture, Mr. John M. Paxton mentioned that a now pest, which had emanated from India,, had been found in Australian wheat, and lie urged that steps should bo taken to prevent Its spread. This nest is known as tho khapra. and is a. kind of weevil whicb operates on dry grain. "Tho cliemicil branch'of the Department of Agriculture." said Mr. Paxton, "can show you these insects living in a snmnlo they havo got on their premises now, because I saw them 'this morning/' Mr. Paxton added that Professor Lefnn told him in January, 1918, that he had discovered a worse post than weevil in Australian wheat, and this was the khapra., Tho peat was found in the wheat stacked of Enfield. Witness obtained soveral samples of wheat from South Australia, but the professor did not defect The pest in them. The danger of the khapra was that it would attnek .dry grain, whereas the ordinary weevil would not attack grain containing less than 10 per cent, of moisture. "I think," added Mr. Paxton, "it is dosiratlo that steps should be talcon to seo if fh"is peat is extensive in New South Wales or If any means can be adopted to check' its Professor Lofroy said he Hid not dread the weevil, but he had a very wholesome dread of tho khapra."! 1