130 LONG HORNED BEETLES. 



"Remedies : The young larva, as already stated, may often 

 be detected by the discoloration of the bark. In such instances, 

 if the outer dark-colored surface be scraped with a knife, laite in 

 August, or early in September, so as to expose the clear white 

 bark underneath, the lurking enemy may be discovered and des- 

 troyed. Later they may be detected by their castings, which 

 have been pushed out of the crevices of 'the bark, and have 

 fallen in little heaps on the ground. When first discharged they 

 look as if they had been forced through the barrels of a minute 

 double-barreled gun, being arranged closely together in two 

 parallel strings. Those which have burrowed deeper may some- 

 times be reached by a stout wire thrust into their holes, or by 

 cutting through the bark at the upper end of the chamber, and 

 pouring scalding water into the opening, so that it may soak 

 through the castings and penetrate to the insect. 



Fig. 135. — Saperda cretata, Newm. — After Division of Entoaiolog3-, U.S. Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. 



"Among the preventive measures, alkaline washes or solu- 

 tions are probably the most efficient, since experiments have dem- 

 onstrated that they are repulsive to the insect, and that Uie 

 beetle will not lay her eggs on trees protected with such washes. 

 Soft soap reduced to Ithe consistency of a thick paint by the addi- 

 tion of a strong solution of washing-soda in water, is perhaps as 

 good a formula as can be suggested ; this, if applied to the bark 

 of a tree, especially about the base or collar, and also extended 

 upwards towards the crotches, where the main branches have 

 their origin, will cover the whole surface liable to attack ; and 



