226 



delayed too long with disastrous results. A motion was carried 

 endorsing extreme measures for the eradication of the European 

 corn borer, and asking Congress for sufficient appropriation to under- 

 take immediately a competent campaign of eradication under Federal 

 direction. 



Burke (H. E.). Biological Notes on some Flatheaded Bark-borers of 

 the Genus Melanophila. — Jl. Econ. Entom., Concord, N.H., xii, 

 no. 1, February 1919, pp. 105-108. 



This paper supplements previous articles on flatheaded borers 

 [see this Review, Ser. A, v, pp. 166, 407 and vi, p. 421], and deals with 

 several species of the genus Melanophila. Generally there is one 

 generation in a year. Adult beetles emerging from the trees in the 

 spring and summer of one year lay eggs that hatch into larvae which 

 live through the winter and pupate, emerging as adults in the spring 

 or summer of the following year. Sometimes, however, a number of 

 larvae of one generation will remain in the pupal cells for several 

 years before pupating. The larvae of these beetles mine the inner 

 bark and outer wood and pupate there, the eggs being laid in the 

 crevices of the bark. The adults usually feed on the bark or foliage 

 of the host- trees, but M. consputa has been observed devouring scorched 

 termites. With the exception of one individual of M. acuminata 

 reared from Monterey cypress, all the American species of Melanophila 

 appear to be confined to food-plants of the family Pinaceae. The 

 larval characters indicate that the genus should be divided into two, 

 the larvae of M. intrusa and M. aeneola having characteristics that 

 distinguish them from the true type of the genus as found in the 

 other species dealt with. 



Among the species of which the habitat and host-plants are given 

 is M. acuminata, De G., with which M. longipes, Say, and M. atropur- 

 piirea, Say, are apparently identical, which prefers to attack dead 

 or dying trees or those scorched by fire, the hosts being red or Norway 

 pine {Pinus resinosa), lodge-pole pine (P. murrayana), Monterey cypress 

 {Cupressus macrocarpa) ; while it has also been taken on the bark of 

 yellow pine {Pinus ponderosa), Engelmann spruce {Picea engelm^nni), 

 Sitka spruce (P. sitchensis), lowland fir (Abies grandis) and giant 

 arborvitae {Thuja plicata). M. consputa, Lee, has similar habits and 

 attacks Monterey pine [Pinus radiata), knobcone (P. attenuata) and 

 other pines. M. gentilis. Lee, injures sugar pine {Pinus lambertiana), 

 rock pine {Pinus scopulorum), Jefirey pine {P. Jeffrey i) and other pines ; 

 it is a particularly dangerous pest, especially to second growth. 

 M. drummondi, Kirby, attacks and kills many trees including western 

 larch {Larix occidentalis), Sitka spruce {Picea sitchensis) (at present 

 very important in the manufacture of aeroplanes), western hemlock 

 {Tsuga heterophylla), alpine hemlock {T. mertensiana), Douglas spruce 

 {Pseudotsuga taxifolia), alpine fir {Abies lasiocarpa), white fir {A. con- 

 color), lovely fir {A. amabilis), noble fir {A. nobilis), red fir {A. magnifica). 

 M. fulvoguttata, Harris, is the most destructive enemy of eastern 

 hemlock and also attacks Picea sp., red spruce (P. rubens) and common 

 hemlock (Tsuga canadensis). M. calif ornica,- van D., injures digger 

 pine (P. sabiniana), Coulter pine (P. cmdteri) and other pines ; it 

 kills many second growth trees and assists bark-beetles to kill others. 

 M. pini-edulis, Burke, attacks Pinus edtdis and assists bark-borers 



