72 DESTRUCTIVE INSECTS OF VICTORIA : 



During the last twenty years or so, the trees of E. vimin- 

 alis have largely disappeared, so that many insects, which 

 formerly bred in it, have taken to the Yellow Box 

 (E. melliodora), which still exists in fair quantities. Our 

 plate gives a representation of a piece of Yellow Box 

 attacked by these and other insects ; the perfect beetles 

 have already emerged from the timber. 



PJwracantha recurva is a much smaller insect, but plays 

 great havoc in the wood, mostly in the branches. Mr. 

 Tepper, the veteran entomologist of South Australia, 

 remarks that in South Australia this beetle only attacks 

 ring-barked or felled timber. This is certainly not the case 

 in Victoria, as in hot weather I have frequently seen the 

 green branches, when fallen from the tree, with the beetles 

 emerging from the wood. The tunnels are easily recognised 

 by those acquainted with the life-history of Victorian 

 insects. This species may be identified by its long saw- 

 like antennae, which are also strongly spined. 



Phoracanthas are widely spread. 1 have had the former 

 species from Melbourne to Northern Queensland, whilst the 

 smaller species, P. rerirva, is listed from nearly every 

 known portion of Australia, and is as common in Queens- 

 land, Western Australia, and Northern Territory as it is in 

 Victoria. It is also found in Africa. Both species, and, 

 in fact, most others of this genus, are also to be found hiding 

 under the loose bark of some of the larger gums, such as the 

 Red Gum, Blue Gum, and others. 



When captured, these beetles make a noise resembling 

 grating or squeaking. On hot sultry summer evenings, 

 both of these species may frequently be seen flying in the 

 twilight, but the nocturnal birds destroy great numbers of 

 these and other night-flying insects. 



It has always appeared to me strange that so few of our 

 numerous native timber-borers appear to have taken to 

 our fruit trees; one would imagine that the bark of the 



