408 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



eastern portion of the State. The work of this species is quite character- 

 istic, in that the mass of pitch is on the upper side of the smaller limbs and 

 twio's. Man)' of these jjitch collections show two layers or masses of differ- 

 ent a^^e and this is specially true in the siirini^-. The more recent layer is 

 the record of the later activities of the caterijillar, which, boring in the 

 center of the twig, carries the accumulating pitch out and deposits it around 

 the entrance of its gallery | [j1. 20, fig. i]. 



Early history. Tliis species was described in 1S79 by Prof. C. H. 

 Fernald, from exam]>les sent him l)y Professor Comstock, whose attention 

 had been attracted by its work. Professor Comstock records this borer as 

 (juite abundant in the \icinity of Ithaca N. V. I)r Lugger has taken the 

 ninth at Baltimore Mil., and I)r Hoijkins states that this insect is common 

 in West X'irginia, on the living twigs of pitch pine near Kanawha .Station, 

 and adtls that it is frequentl)' observed wherever pitch pines grow. The 

 writer has also observed the work of this insect in several localities in 

 Massachusetts. 



Life history. This species passes the winter in the larval or caterpillar 

 stage, and at Karner, o|)erations begin about A]). 15. Tliis is very nicely 

 indicated by the fresh layers of pitch placed on the outside of masses e.xposed 

 to the weather during the winter. The spring addition is frecpiently nearly 

 equal to the accumulatinii of the previous season, and the demarcation 

 between the oUl and tht; new is very evident. fune 12, iqoi. an empty pupal 

 case was seen, but no adults were obtained in breeding- ca</es till the 20th. 

 Though a considerable number of the infested twigs were collected at 

 various times during iqoi, we succeeded in breeding the moth only during 

 the month of fune. Professor Comstock e.xpresses the o])inion that this 

 insect passes through two generations in one season, though our tlata hardly 

 In-ar out this conclusion. W'c ha\'e been imal)lc to makt' an)" observations 

 on the tluration of the period during which the moth flies, or on the method 

 of oviposition. Tlie preparation for hil)rrnation has been described by 

 Professor Comstock. He states that the larva lines its burrow with a 

 delicate layer of white silk, which often forms a closed tube at the lower 



