368 Forestry Quarterly. 



amined timber from such localities that was unaffected by borers 

 although it had been dead for several seasons. The proximity 

 of a burned to an infested area is favorable for the spread of 

 the pests. 



These facts should be kept in mind in projecting a cutting 

 in a recently burned area to prevent infestation. Timber in 

 damp situations and that near infested areas should be removed 

 or barked first. 



Natural Checks. The large amount of dead timber scattered 

 through the Black Hills as a result of the beetle invasion and 

 the numerous fires have given a splendid and not neglected op- 

 portunity for wood borers. 



It is probable that the pure character of the forest acts in their 

 favor, the same as it does with other insect pests- 



Woodpeckers eat many beetle larvae, and are apt to congregate 

 in burned areas where they are numerous. The Hairy Wood- 

 pecker is quite common and is the chief bird enemy of the Bupres- 

 tid larvae. Early in September the writer observed many at work 

 in an area burned in June. They seemed to confine their atten- 

 tions largely to the smaller trees, mostly the saplings fifteen to 

 twenty-five feet high. They dug an inch or more into the wood 

 for the grubs. Other woodpeckers occur in the Hills, but were 

 not observed eating larvae on recently killed trees. Probably 

 Chickadees and Nuthatches eat the eggs and small grubs be- 

 fore they enter the wood, but are not able to dig into it after 

 them. 



Birds seem to serve more in keeping down the numbers of the 

 pests than in saving timber already infested, since after borers 

 are two or three inches into the wood only the larger wood- 

 peckers can reach them, and then only when the wood is partly 

 decayed. 



Remedies. The obvious remedy for the destruction of fire- 

 killed timber is of course to prevent fires. This attempt is made 

 on the National Forests and the more valuable private holdings ; 

 but, like fires in cities, some forest fires will always occur despite 

 all precautions. 



The next best thing is to harvest the burned timber at once. 

 This is often impossible, since it takes time to effect a timber 

 sale on a National Forest, even when a purchaser is at hand. 



