INSECTS AFFECTING PARK AND WOODLAND TREES 433 



This species is a general feeder, it having been taken on dead twigs of 

 orange, apple, hickory, poplar, oak, maple, yellow locust, beech and also 

 sumac. It appears to have a general distrilji-.tion in tlie norlheaslcm 

 United States, since it has been recorded from West \'irginia, New Jersey, 

 New York and the vicinity of Cincinnati (). 



Mordella octopunctata babr. 

 A narrow, triangular, lilackish beetle '4 inch in lengtli, marked with lines and sjiots 

 of yellowish or orange, may be met with on various (lowers in June. 



This, one of the ])rcttiest species belonging to the genus, may be 

 quickly recognized b\- the linear buff markings on the thora.K, and the 

 yellowish or orange markings on the wing covers. There are, /<-^^^^-^ 

 in the specimens before us. six well defined dots on the wing fA 

 covers, with a somcwh.at irregular yellowish M on the base j 

 of the el\ tra. ' 



The larva has been found b\- Riley, in oak stumps, and he \ 

 states that it has a yellowish white head with three distinct' yel- / 

 lowish lines above. The legs are short and the posterior ' ' 

 e.xtremity pointed, horned and Ijlackish brown. fir.,; MordcUa 



This species has In^en listed from the MidiUc and Southern ",,Hsi,'M, "''"''* 

 States bv Or I.cContc, has been reported as rare in southwestern Pennsyl- 

 . vania by Dr Hamilton, while Ulke states that it, with other species, occurs 

 on bushes and flowers. Dr J. !>. Smith records it froin a mniiber of New 

 Jersey localities, it being rated in some places as rare, and in others as 



common. 



Variable oak borer 



Phyviatodcs variabilis babr. 



A rather slender, slightly flattened beetle with red prothorax and bluish wing covers, 

 mines as a larva the inner l)ark of dead and dying oaks, and is also injurious to tan bark. 



This beetle is rather common in midstimmer. The slender, reddish 

 antennae are a little longer than the body and rise between the deejjly 

 emarginate, rather finely granulate eyes. Tlu; face of the insect is reddish 

 brown with a slight blackish area between the bases of the antennae. 'I he 



