THE LESSER PEAC'IF I'.ORER. 



35 



of the character of injury is especially good. From time to time it 

 has been treated systematically and figured, or listed, and for such 

 treatment reference should be made to the bibliography given at the 

 close of this article. 



LIFE HISTORY AND HABITS. 



The winter is passed in various stages of larval development under 

 the bark of the trunks of the trees. Upon the approach of warm 

 wea-ther, and during warm spells in the winter in the South, the 

 larvae feed, and as they reach full growth construct cocoons and 

 pupate (in March and Ai:)ril in Georgia and Maryland, resi^ectively). 

 About a month afterwards the moths begin to emerge and mate, and 

 the females at once commence to deposit their eggs along the tree 

 trunks. On account of the uncMjua] development of the hibernating 

 larva^, the period of 

 pupation and subse- 

 quent emergence of 

 the adults lasts for 

 several months. The 

 eggs hatch a f t e r 

 about ten days, and 

 the young larvae en- 

 ter the bark through 

 crevices and begin to 

 feed. In Georgia, in 

 the course of several 



months, these larva; p-m. lo.— The lesser peach borer (Sijnanthcdon pictipes): a, Adult: 

 reach full ♦'"rOWth and ''• outline of e^ss; c, larva; d, pupa; e, cocoon and pupal skin. 



'^ (Orisrinal.") 



pupate, and the re- 

 sulting moths establish another generation in the earh' fall, 

 which hibernates as larva\ The two generations are considerably 

 mixed. 



The seasonal history of this borer is therefore very unlike that of 

 the peach borer. It differs markedly in the fact of a partial second 

 generation, and the further fact of early spring pupation. 



The ecjcj. — The ^^j^g (fig. 10, &) is a small, compressed, elliptical- 

 oval, reddish-brown object, similar in general to the eggs of the 

 peach borer and other members of the family /Kgeriida\ It har- 

 monizes in color Avith the bark of the trees upon which it is deposited, 

 and on this account is difficult to find. Seen from the side the ante- 

 rior end is truncate, but viewed from in front it is found to be con- 

 cave, the micropyle situated in the center of the concavity. The 

 upper side of the egg, as seen wdien in position on a tree, is com- 



