Chapter XIV. 



INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE SYCAMORE. 



Platanus occidentaUs. 



Of the insects that we have noticed by far the most injurious is the 

 rather large Pyralid caterpillar mentioned on p. 644, and which we have 

 been unable to raise. With these exceptions the sycamore is rather 

 free from attack. The European Platanus has but a few enemies, 

 only five species being enumerated by Kaltenbach. 



1. Chalcophora campestria Say. 



While as a rule the species of Ohalcophora feed on evergreens, the 

 present species, thus far the only one known to live at the expense of 

 deciduous trees, has been found by Messrs. Schwarz and J.B. Smith on 

 the sycamore, which it attacks when dead and dry. Mr. Smith states : 



It is likely that C. fulleri, which resembles C. campestris very strongly iu form, will 

 bo found to have similar habits. (Ent. Amer., ii, 1836, 71.) 



The beetle. — Head rugous, with large confluent punctures ; front concave, antennae 

 purple-black, the first aud second joints greenish cupreous; thorax unequal, with 

 large confluent punctures each side, and canaliculate along the middle; posterior 

 angles acute; scutel very small, transverse-suborbicular, indented on the middle; 

 elytra with four distant somewhat elevated liues, and one or two near the suture ; in 

 the interstitial spaces are irregular, slightly elevated, transverse lines, hardly vis- 

 ible to the unassisted eye; before the middle of each elytrum is a large, very slightly 

 impressed spot, and another similar one is rather behind the middle ; there is also a very 

 small common indented spot on the suture, opposite to the former spot ; exterior edge 

 serrated from near the middle to the tip ; tip simple, somewhat acute ; beneath cup- 

 reous polished ; a brilliant dilated coppery lineexteudsfrom the mouth to the pectus; a 

 large groove originates on the anterior part of the pectus, and terminates on the 

 second segment of the venter ; tarsi dusky bluish. (Say.) 



2. Unknown longicorn larva in the sycamore. 



(PI. XX, fig. 2; XXIV, fig. 8.) 



Larva, — Body rather flattened, broader behind than usual, the penultimate seg- 

 ment being much wider than usual. Head large and prominent, square and flat, 

 somewhat as iu Monohammus, being one-half as wide as the prothoracic segment. 

 Mandibles acute, unequally two-toothed, the terminal tooth much the larger. 

 Antennae very short and thick ; two-jointed ; second joint extremely small, with two 

 outer spines on the first joint. Near the antennse on the head are five long bristles. 

 Labrum much rounded in front, as long as broad. Labium broad, with two-jointed 

 palpi ; second joint acute, as long as the first is thick. Maxillary lobe narrow, reach- 



643 



