15 



with transverse lemon-yellow bands, of which there are three on the head, four on the thorax 

 and six on the elytra or wing covers, making thirteen in all ; the tips of the elytra are also 

 edged with yellow. The third baud on the body is very noticeable, as it forms a very distinct 

 representation of the letter W. The thorax is very globular. The antennae are dark brown. 

 The underside of the body has the outer edges of the segments, bordered with yellow stripes. 

 The legs are rust-red. 



" In the month of September," writes Dr. Harris, " these beetles gather on the locust 

 trees, where they may be seen glittering in the sunbeams, with their gorgeous livery of black 

 velvet and gold, coursing up and down the trunks in pursuit of their mates, or to drive away 

 their rivals, and stopping every now and then to salute those they meet with a rapid bowing 

 of the shoulders, accompanied by a creaking sound, indicative of recognition or defiance. 

 Having paired, the female, attended by her partner, creeps over the bark, searching the cre- 

 vices with her antenna", and dropping therein her snow-white eggs, in clusters of seven or 

 eight together, and at intervals of five or six minutes, until her whole stock is safely stored. 

 The eggs are soon hatched, and the grubs immediately burrow into the bark, devouring the 

 soft inner substance that suffices for their nourishment till the approach of winter. Ihiring 

 winter they remain at rest in a torpid state. In the spring they bore through the sap-wood, 

 more or less deeply into the trunk, the general course of their winding and irregular passages 

 being in an upward direction from the place of their entrance. For a time they cast their 

 chips out of their holes as fast as they are made, but after a while the passage becomes clogged, 

 and the burrow more or less filled with the coarse and fibrous fragments of wood, to get rid of 

 which the grubs are often obliged to open new holes through the bark. The seat of their 

 operations is known by the oozing of the sap, and the dropping of the sawdust from the holes. 

 The bark around the part attacked begins to swell, and in a few years the trunks and limbs 

 will become disfigured and weakened by large porous tumours caused by the eflForts of the 

 trees to repair the injuries they have suffered." The habits of this insect seem to have 

 been known for a long time, for we find a description of them made in 1771, by Dr. J. R. 

 Forster, and Dr. Fitch records that Petivera gave a figure and description of it in his " Gazo- 

 phylacium," published in London in 1702. 



The beetle is, undoubtedly, a native species, it never having been found in any other 

 country. In remarking on their destructive powers, Dr. Fitch states, " that one of the prin- 

 cipal thoroughfiires leading east from the city of Utica was formerly planted on its south side 

 with locust trees, these had become so large and ornamental as to render this one of the most 

 admired avenues in the suburbs of that city. When some thirty (now 40), years since, these 

 trees were invaded by this insect, to such an extent, that in the course of two or three seasons, 

 they were totally ruined, many of them being killed outright, and the remainder having their 

 limbs and branches so lopped off, that they could never recover from the deformity." Miche- 

 au.\ also reported that lit'ty years ago this insect had become .so destructive, that many people 

 in different parts of the St-.itcs were di.scouraged from planting the locu.st. 



In my own experionce, three or four seasons have completely killed the largest trees, and 

 about half that time for many of tho.se of smaller size. The numbers and fecundity of the 

 beetle are very great. I well remember in the early fall of 1873, on passing a small clump of 

 locusts growing in St. Paul's Churchyard, London, Ont., my attention being arrested by the 

 breaking off of a branch of considerable size from one of these trees, and my curiosity being 

 excited, I made an examination, and found that the branch had been eaten almost through 

 by the larvae, and on looking up at the trunk of the tree, I counted over fifty beetles running 

 up and down ; that tree was completely killed that season. I had occasion to pass these trees 

 going up and down to my ofiice, and I am satisfied I must have killed fully one hundred that 

 year, merely treading on them as I found them on the sidewalk beneatii, or in the neighbour- 

 hood of these trees. 



These beetles may often be found feeding on the pollen of the Golden Rod (Solnlago). 

 Dr. Fitch suggests, "as a feasible plan of checking the multiplication and destructiveness of 

 these borers, to plant a small patch of the Golden Hod where locust trees are grown, that the 

 beetles when they is.sue from the tree may resort to the flowers as is their habit. They can 

 readily be found thereon, and captured and destroyed. It will be a p.istime to the children 

 of the household, whose sharp eyes qualify them well for this employment, to search their 

 flowers." 



The gathering should be begun as soon as the beetles begin to appear, and should be 



