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A STAG-BEETLE BORER IN PEAR. 



Dorcus parallelus. 



Order Coi,EOPTERA ; family Lucanidae. 



A white grub resembling in form the larva of the May-beetle, boring into 

 the roots of pear, and finally transforming into a stag-beetle measuring 

 seven-eighths inch in length. 



The stag-beetles are well-known insects in the adult form ; the 

 large size of some of the species and their prominent toothed 

 jaws resembling the horns of a stag, render them conspicuous. 

 Comparatively little, however, is known regarding the habits of 

 their larvae. And it is to put on record a newly ascertained 

 fact regarding one of them that this note is written. 



The adult beetles are found on the trunks of trees, and are said, 

 by Harris, to live upon the sap, for procuring which the brushes 

 of their jaws and lips seem to be designed. They lay their eggs 

 in crevices of the bark of trees, especially near the roots. The 

 larvae that hatch from these eggs resemble the well known white 

 grub (the larva of the May-beetle) in form. But un- 

 like the May-beetle larva which feeds on the roots of 

 herbaceous plants, the larvae of the stag-beetles bore 

 into the solid wood of the roots and trunks of trees, 

 and reduce it to a substance resembling very coarse 

 sawdust. They mature very slowly ; it is said that 

 Fig «; -Dor ^ e larvae of some of the larger species require six 

 cus parallel- Y e & TS to complete their growth. 



us. Dorciis parallelus (Fig. 5,) is a stag-beetle of medi- 



um size that occurs in the states on the Atlantic seaboard. Its 

 larva is said to live in lime trees and sugar maple ; but no mention 

 of its being an enemy to fruit trees has been published heretofore. 

 During the first week of September I received the specimen which 

 the accompanying figure represents natural size, from E. A. and H. 

 N. Hoffman, of Elmira, with the following statement regarding it : 

 " The beetle was found in the roots of an old pear tree, where it 

 had eaten off one of the branch roots, which was about two inches 

 through, and the tap-root which was nearly three inches through, 

 and was eating upwards in the tap-root when discovered. The 

 tree was beginning to die, which caused us to investigate it. 

 There was about a handful of borings with the beetle when it 

 was found." 



From this experience it is evident that this species should be 

 added to our list of injurious fruit insects. Unfortunately, in the 



