282 



FRUIT INSECTS 



The Peach Bark-beetle 

 Phloeotribus liminaris Harris 



In habits and in the nature of its injuries this species is very 

 similar to the foregoing, but its range of food plants is more 

 restricted, its attacks being confined principally to the 

 peach and cherry. It is a native of this country and occurs 

 in Canada and the Eastern states as far south as North 

 Carolina. 



Unlike the preceding species it hibernates in the beetle stage 



either in the pupal cavities 

 or in specially constructed 

 hil)ernation chambers ex- 

 cavated in the bark of 

 healthy trees. The small 

 brownish beetles (Fig. 244) 

 emerge in early spring and 

 at once begin to excavate 

 their egg burrows under the 

 bark of weakened or dying 

 trees. These burrows usually 

 run transversely around the branch and are distinguished from 

 those of the preceding species by having a short side branch (Fig. 

 245) which with the short tunnel running to the entrance hole in 

 the bark makes a Y-shaped end to the main egg burrow. The side 

 branch enables the female to turn around in the burrow and is 

 also occupied by the male at the time of mating. The minute 

 white eggs are deposited in small niches in the walls of the main 

 burrow and are covered with sawdust. Each female may lay 

 from 80 to 160 eggs. Those of the first brood hatch in about 

 20 days, while those of the summer generation require only about 

 half as long. The young grubs burrow away from the egg 

 chamber at right angles and generally follow the grain of the 



Fig. 244. — The peach bark-beetle (x 22). 



