128 SECOND REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



In addition to our ignorance of the early stages of this insect — of 

 the eggs — of the larval duration — of the pupation, but little is appar- 

 ently known of its final perfect stage. And the knowledge that we 

 have of it does not appear to sustain the following inferences : 



" We may infer that it comes to maturity late in the summer, and flying 

 into our orchards and vineyards, the beetles bore into twigs during the 

 fall. Here winter overtakes them, and they hibernate in the holes, 

 some of them dying; but most of them surviving until spring, when 

 they continue feeding for a while, and afterward repair to the forest 

 again to propagate their kind " {loc. cif. sicp.). 



This insect is of rare occurrence in the State of New York, and in 

 this region of the United States, and it has, therefore, not been my 

 privilege to study its habits. It appears not to have been carefully 

 studied, for its literature is quite limited, but in all the observations 

 upon it that I have been able to find, I can see nothing to warrant the 

 hypothetical life-history above given. I find no observation of the bee- 

 tle entering twigs in the autumn, nor any direct testimony of actual 

 hibernation in apple-tree or pear-tree twigs. That the beetles have 

 been found within them in the winter is mentioned by different writers, 

 but the only direct statement of personal observation of the fact, pub- 

 lished, is that of Mr. Walsh, quoted below, in connection with state- 

 ments of others bearing upon the burrowing habits. Of the fact that 

 they are to be so found, there can be no doubt, as I have before me a 

 letter received from Prof. Riley, in reply to an inquiry made while writ- 

 ing this notice, in vvhich he asserts: "There is no doubt about Am- 

 pliiccrus hicaudatus hibernating within the bored twigs and various 

 trees. I have often received the beetles in the twigs at different times 

 during the winter and spring." 



With no desire to be hypercritical, but only to educe the truth, it 

 must be said that neither the above statement from its distinguished 

 source, nor any other known to me, sliow actual hibernation. No men- 

 tion is made of the condition of the beetle when observed. Although 

 seen alive in midwinter, examination, longer delayed, might have shown 

 that they failed to hibernate. If still alive in early spring — a few 

 dying survivors among many dead companions, as were the examples 

 found by Dr. Shimer in the month of April (see below) — the condition 

 certainly would not be what we understand by " hibernation," nor would a 

 hibernation terminating in death be of the slightest economic importance. 



The earliest notice that I find of the boring habits of the beetle is 

 that given by Dr. Harris, in 1854 {loc cif.) He states : "Prof. S. P. 

 Lathrop, of Wisconsin University, and Mr. T. E. Wetraore have sent 

 specimens to me, with accounts of the depredations of the insects, 



