IXSECTS AFFECTIXC, PARK AXD WOODLAXD TREES 



291 



males assist the females in forming new colonies, and that the )-ount^ are 

 raised in separate pits or cradles which they do not leave nnlil maturity is 

 attained. The galleries constructed b\- the female beetle, extend deeply 

 into the wood with their branches mostly in a horizontal jjlane, figure 53. 

 1 he mother beetle deposits her eggs in circular ])its which she exca\'atcs in 

 the galleries in two opposite series parallel with the grain of the wood. 

 An egg is deposited in each and the cavity packed with chips taken from 

 the fungus bed on which ambrosia had begun to grow. The young grubs 

 eat the fungus antl eject the refuse from their cradles. At first they lie 

 curled up in the i)it made 1)\- the mother, but as they grow larger they 

 deepen the cradles with their own jaws till when full grown the)- slightl\- 

 exceed the length of the fully extended grub. The young swallow the 

 wood which they excavate. It passes through the body unchanged in 

 texture and is excreted in pellets stained 

 a _\'ellowish color. .\ ])orlion of the excre- 

 ment is e\identl\' utilized to form tht; 

 fungus or footl bed. The mother beetle 

 is constantly in attendance on the )Oung 

 during their develojjuiental period and 

 guards them with jealous care. The 

 mouth of (.-ach crai-lle is closf.-d with a 

 plug of the food fiuigus and as fast as 

 this is consumed fresh material is sujj- 

 plied Tile grui)s perforate the plug 

 from time to time ami clean out their 

 retreats b\- pushing the pellets through 

 the openini:". Tlu-v are removed b\' the ?'«■ 54 Ambrosiaot m< 



' ■ ' • ' enlarged. (Aflcr Hubb.ir.l, U S. Dcp't Agri 



mother, and the opening again sealed Km. nui. 7. n. s. is.371 



with ambrosia. The transformation to th(! adult occurs in these lateral 



galleries or cradles. 



Mr Hubbard states that the hai)its of M o n a r I h r i; m fasciatum 

 Sav and those of this insect are identical and that the\- feetl on the same 



