INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE PINE. 185 
56. THE YELLOW-BANDED UROCERUS. 
‘Urocerus abdominalis Harris. 
A four-winged fly similar to the foregoing, about 0.80 long, of a blue-black color, 
with from two to four of the middle segments of its abdomen bright orange yellow, 
and also a broad band on the antenne and the four forward legs except at their bases, 
its wings hyaline, tinged at the tips with a smoky color. There is sometimes a yellow 
spot behind each eye, and the hind knees and some or all of the joints of the hind feet 
are usually yellow. My specimens are males, nor has any female answering to this 
been found, and I am forced to entertain suspicions it is the true male of the preced- 
ing species. These insects are not common. (Harris’s Treatise, p. 428.) 
57. THE PINE BLIGHT. 
Coccus pinicorticis Fitch. 
Order HEMIPTERA; family CoccIpz&. 
Externally, upon the smooth bark of young trees, patches of white flocculent down- 
like matter, covering exceedingly minute lice invisible to the naked eye. (Trans. N. 
Y. State Ag. Soc., 1854, p. 871. Compare also an article by Dr. H. Shimer in Trans. 
Amer. Ent. Soc., ii, pp. 383-385. ) 
AFFECTING THE TWIGS. 
58. THE WHITE-PINE WEEVIL. 
Pissodes strobi Peck. 
Order CoLKoPrTERA; family CURCULIONIDA, 
In May, depositing numerous eggs in the bark of the topmost shoot of young trees, 
the larve from which mine in the wood and pith, causing the shoot to wither and die» 
hereby occasioning a crook or fork in the body of the tree at this point; an oblong 
oval and rather narrow weevil about a quarter of an inch long, of a dull dark chest- 
nut-hbrown color, with two dots on the thorax; the scutel and a short irregular band 
back of the middle of the wing-covers milk white, the wing-covers also variegated 
with a few patches of tawny yellow. 
This is a common insect in New York, and specimens of it may be 
found around and upon pine trees at all times of the year, but it is in 
the mouth of May that they are abroad 
in the greatest numbers, and it is chiefly 
at that time that their eggs are depos- 
ited. Young thrifty-growing pines are 
its favorite resort, and among these it y 
selects those that are most vigorous, 
and whose topmost shoot has made the 
greatest advance the preceding year. rye, 80.—W hite-pine weevil; a, larva: b, pupa, 
Wat I have seen it sonumerousthat not v!ersednesrly threetimes.—From Packard. 
only the topmost shoots of every tree in the grove, but many of the 
lateral ones also were invaded and destroyed by it. 
It is in consequence of its smooth straight growth to such a lofty 
height that the pine has been prized beyond any other timber for large 
buildings and bridges, and is especially valuable for the masts of ships. 
