ADDITIONAL DATA (»N I'HK LiMTST H« )RKR. 33 



HABITS OF LARViE AND ADULTS. 



When a larva Ix'Liiiis activity in the spiiiiu' it molts and proceeds 

 to excavate an in(lc})cii(lcMt food and entrance l)nrr()\v tlii-ou^li the 

 dead aiva of l>ark surroundinii' the hibernating- c(dl or tlirou«^li tlie 

 li\ iiiL;- haiiv ininiediately surrounding- the dead area, until it reaches 

 the caiultiuin. It then excavates an irreoular jjfroove oi' cavity in 

 the outer sapwood, i-eturnino- frecpientiy to the outer cell or opening 

 to push out the borines and apparently to <j;et relief from the 

 exuding- sap. A larue per cent of the larvje die befoie any further 

 pi-ooiess is made, hut survi\'ors «Jfi"ow rapidly and .soon .succeed 

 in overcomin<»- the many ohstacles, including- natural enemies, 

 resistance of the tr(>e, etc.. and enter the sapwood, Froui this 

 stage on until the larvie have attained their full growth they 

 are very active and destructive. Their food con.sists principally of 

 the mitritious substances of the })ark and wood, and probably of the 

 licjuids Howing into the burrow, but they do not hesitate to kill and 

 feed upon each other when two or more come in contact within the 

 same burrow. The fact that the entire development often takes place 

 in a burrow scarcely more than twice the length of a matured larva 

 indicates that food must be obtained from some source other than 

 the wood and bark. Throughout its active life the larva frequentlv 

 returns to the inner and outer bark to enlarge the Imrrow. and push 

 out its borings, so that the burrow when completed is of a diameter 

 throughout sufficient to allow the passage back and forth of the 

 full-grown larva. AVhen full grown the larva enlarges the inner (Mid 

 of the burrow, plugs the outer portion with l)oring chips, and in due 

 time transforms in succession to the i)upa and adult. When the adult 

 is fully matured it escapes through the exit prcfjared i)y the larva. 

 Innnediately after a female emerges she is joined by one or more 

 males, and within a few hours, or within twenty-four hours, she ]iro- 

 ceeds to deposit eggs. She runs about over the bark investigating 

 the crevices, by means of her ovipositor, to locate tho.se most suitable 

 for an egg. Sometimes as many as twenty places are critically 

 exaniined befoie one is selected, and it appears that but one i}^^^ is 

 deposited in a place by the .same female, but other females n)ay Hnd 

 the same place and each dejiosit an (^i:!^^^, so that sometimes several 

 eggs are found in one crevice. As a ride, however, there is but one. 

 The faculty of the female in locating the most suital)le ])lace for an 

 (^iXS ''.^' iii'^^'i^ of the sensitive ]iali)i on the ti]i of the ovijxjsitor is 

 remarkable. 



The beetles feed principally on pollen from thetloweisof golden-rod, 

 but are very fond of any sweet licjuid, such as sugar sirup placed on 

 the trunks of the trees. They are found during the day on the trunks, 



