112 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



riably starts its gallery under a protecting scale of bark, the 

 sawdust mentioned above being the only external evidence. 

 Such trees are more dangerous to the welfare of adjacent living 

 hickories than others which may be fairly peppered by the 

 numerous exit holes. The external evidences cited above 

 should be supplemented by cutting down to the sapwood. The 

 exposure there of longitudinal galleries one to one and one- 

 half inches long, about one-eighth of an inch in diameter and 

 with numerous fine, transverse galleries arising therefrom and 

 gradually spreading out somewhat fan shaped, is conclusive 

 evidence as to the identity of this pest. In very early stages of 

 the attack the longitudinal gallery described above, with a 

 series of minute notches for the reception of eggs on either 

 side, may be all that can be found. Only a little experience is 

 necessary before one can recognize the characteristic galleries 

 of this borer. These are almost invariably to be found some- 

 where upon infested trees, since an attack is rarely discovered 

 before at least some of the grubs have commenced working 

 across the bast fibers. 



The insect passes the winter in oval cells as stout, whitish, 

 brown-headed grubs about one-quarter of an inch long, the 

 beetles appearing in the latitude of New York from the last of 

 June to the last of July. There is only one generation in this 

 section of the country. This greatly facilitates the control of 

 the pest, since it is not necessary to guard against a midsum- 

 mer infestation. 



There is only one thing to do in the case of a serious infesta- 

 tion such as that indicated by dying trees or branches. All 

 badly infested trees or portions of trees should be cut and at 

 least the bark burned before the following June, in order to 

 prevent the grubs then in the bark from maturing and chang- 

 ing to beetles which might another season continue the work 

 in previously uninfested trees. It is particularly important to 

 locate the hickories which have died wholly or in part the 

 past summer, because they contain living grubs. General co- 

 operation over an extended area in the cutting out of infested 

 trees and burning of the bark as indicated above, will do much 

 to check this deadly enemy of hickories. This destructon 

 of the insects does not prevent the utilization of the wood and 

 timber commercially, provided the bark is destroyed within 

 the time limits given above. Slabs from saw logs and fire 

 wood with the bark on should all be burned during the winter. 



