REPORT OF THE SOCIETY 47 



grubs which hatch from the eggs bore outwards away from the egg-tunnels 

 through the inner bark and between it and the wood. The grubs pupate in the 

 ends of their mines, change to adults, and eventually bore their way out through 

 the overlying bark to freedom. The species is very small, but occurs in immense 

 numbers in nearly all balsam slash and dying balsam bark. When green and 

 apparently healthy trees are attacked the effect of the multitude of tunnels checks 

 the sap flow and kills the tree. The latter turns red and is visible from the 

 distance as a red tree. Probably the majority of "red top" balsams in Quebec 

 forests are killed by this beetle. Its chief breeding ground is balsam slash from 

 cuttings, standing trees on light burns, heavy wind falls, and large quantities of 

 dying balsam bark produced by any cause. The species also breeds less commonly 

 in the eastern larch or tamarack. 



The Eastern Balsam Bark Weevil 



Pissodes dubiiis Rand 



This species is a small beetle about 4 mm. long, and grayish in colour. Its 

 eggs are laid in early summer in small punctures cut in the bark of the trunk of 

 healthy or weakened balsams. The egg-punctures are arranged in groups and the 

 exuding balsam drys about and below the punctures forming conspicuous whitish 

 patches, "bleeding spots," which betray the injury while the foliage is still green. 

 The larvae excavate long winding mines between the bark and wood radiating 

 from the group of punctures and eventually pursuing an upward or downward 

 course. The young beetles, after maturing in the end of the larval mines, emerge 

 through the bark early in the following season. 



This injury is apparently new to the Province. It was found to be spreading 

 rapidly in gteen timber in some localities last summer, and will apparently prove 

 a serious enemy to the balsam. 



The areas of injured balsam are very extensive in this Province and the loss 

 in pulpwood has already been very great. The spruce is also suffering to a lesser 

 degree and from similar causes. It is not intended, however, to discuss the 

 forest problem at this time, but to point out to owners of farm woodlands the 

 importance of checking the spread of these injuries in their woods. Both injurious 

 insects and fungi breed in the slash of all our timber trees as well as in any dying 

 bark and wood, from windfalls or any other cause. It is, therefore, most im- 

 portant to destroy all breeding grounds of this kind, in order to protect the 

 healthy trees. Stumps should be cut low and the remaining bark should be 

 removed. The slash should be burned, preferably in piles covering as many of 

 the stumps as possible ; and at the same time all dying and broken trees, and those 

 showing fungus fruiting bodies, "Conks," on the trunk or branches should be 



