1900 



ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



83 



diagonally across the grain of the wood at an angle of about 45 degrees to the upward 

 channel. 



So far as known to me this is the first instance of this insect having been observed 

 attacking nursery trees, and also the first record of their working below the ground. 

 All previous records represent them as working above the surface, their attacks 

 being confined to the trunk and larger branches. 



Dr. Harris states that the adult Saperda vestita, after having emerged frooa the 

 trunk and larger branches of the trees, will fly into the top and there feed upon the 

 epidermis of the tender twigs and the petioles of the leaves, often wholly denuding the 

 latter and causing the leaves to fall. It may not be out of place to state that a few 

 years ago a specimen of Saperda Candida (Fig. 44) was sent me, accused of gnawing into 

 the young growing apples, and specimens of these that accompanied the insect gave 

 abundant evidence of the truth' of the statement. 



The species under consideration is said to deposit their eggs, two or three in a pla:5e, 

 upon the trunk and branches, especially about the forks, making slight incisions and 

 punctures for their reception, with their strong jaws. As many as 90 eggs have been 

 taken from a single beetle. The larvae, hatching from these eggs, undermine the bark to 

 the extent of six or eight inches, often penetrating the wood an equal distance. 



This appears to be an instance of an old and well known species taking on a new 

 habit, as I can find nothing on record of their having ever been before observed depredat- 

 ing in the nursery row, and there is certainly nothing on record relative to the larvae 

 working below the surface of the ground. 



The second species, with which 

 this paper has to deal is Oberea hi- 

 maculata. While this is, perhaps, more 

 of a small fruit than a nursery pest, 

 nevertheless, we have come in contact 

 with it in our nursery inspection, 

 although not especially as affecting 

 nursery stock. In Bulletin 96 of the 

 Ohio Agricultural Experiment Sta- 

 tion, pages 20-22, I gave an account 

 of this insect and stated that we had 

 reared it from witch hazel Hamamelis 

 virginiana, also from apple twigs. 

 The specimen is shown in Figure 40. 

 A further study of this insect has 

 shown that it is Oberea tripunctata. 

 Specialists make this a variety of 

 bimaculata. Since this work was done, 

 I have twice reared the true Oberea 

 bimaculata from raspberry, which 

 it is known to infest. There seems 

 now to be a dividing line between 

 these two forms, tripunctata having a variety of food plants, while bimaculata appears to 

 confine itself to canes ot Rubus. The object in presenting this matter is to correct a 

 possible error in Bulletin 96, in terming the species there reared from witch hazel and 

 apple twigs, Oberea bimaculata, without further qualifications. Although as stated, the 

 two are considered to be the same species by systematists the rearings at the Station imply 

 that there is a sharp distinction between the two in the matter of food habits, and it 

 seems to me that this would be very strong evidence at any rate, that may, some day, be 

 used in separating the two insects. Any one wifehing to follow up our studies of these 

 species will find them recorded in Bulletin 96, of the Ohio Agricultural Experiment 

 Station, pages 20 22, and the Journal of the New York Entomological Society, Volume 

 V, pages 203 204, with illustrations, and Volume XI, pages 437-438 of Entomologi- 

 cal News. It will be a very interesting study, and one fraught with some economic im- 

 portance, to carry on a large number of rearings, both from Rubus and other plants. If 

 this food distinction between the two forms holds good throughout, Oberea tripunctata, 

 Swederus will be entitled to rank as a species. 



Fig. ib.— Oberea bimaculata var. tripunctata Sw. Larva 



enlarged at left ; Section of excreta at right, 



all enlarged. 



