124 LONG HORNED BEETLES. 



sometimes forces the trunk to enlarge at that point, so Ithat a 

 large gall-like swelling is produced. This of course kills the tree, 

 which during a heavy wind breaks at this weak place. 



There are a large number of small grayish longicorns, more 

 or less sprinkled with white scales arranged in larger spots or 

 irregular wavy lines, which infest all sorts of trees, and among 

 them our frui't trees. The beetles look like the dead bark upon 

 which they are usually found hiding. Most of them have their 

 short thorax armed with a minute spine on each side, but this is 

 not always the case. A few of the more important ones will 

 be described. In case they should at any time become numerous 

 enough ftp become destructive the dead twigs should be cut off 

 and burned, and an alkali wash applied to the bark, as rec- 

 ommended against the "Round-headed Apple-tree Borer," a 

 beetle to be described later. 



THE LONG-HORNED BORER. 



(Leptostylus aculifer Say). 



This beetle (Fig. 130) is rather robust in shape, with long 

 tapering feelers, ringed with black and white. It is of a brown- 

 ish-gray color, with numerous small 'thorn-like points upon the 

 wing- covers, and a V-shaped band, margined with black, a little 

 behind the middle of the elytra. Some well marked and fresh 

 specimens are little beauties, being almost silvery white, with 

 dark dots on the band already mentioned. The insect measures 

 a little more than one third of an inch in length. It is most com- 

 mon during August, when it may be found hiding on the trunks 

 of apple-trees. Here, and also in other trees, it lays eggs, which 

 shortly afterwards hatch into small grubs, which enter the tree, 

 burrowing under the bark. 



Leptostylus macula Say, a very similar beetle, is also often 

 found upon old apple-trees ; it probably feeds in them as a larva. 



The closely related genus Liopus also furnishes a contingent 

 of beetles which feed in our orchards. These beetles are smaller 

 and more elongated. In the next genus we find a small beetle 

 which occurs in large numbers in old apple-trees. 



