REPORT OF THE SOCIET 43 



Life-Bjstory and Injury 



The beetle lays its eggs in thi,' latter part of July and in August on the 

 trunks of healthy trees. The young grubs work their way into the bark and 

 spend the winter there. Next spring mining operations are carried on extensi- 

 vely in the bark in such a manner as often to completely girdle the tree. The 

 bark above the tunnels becomes detached and drops off exposing the tunnel 

 scars beneath. If complete girdling does not take place the tree will withstand 

 the attack and heal the wound over with a thick callous; but where several 

 larvae are working together in the same area, the tunnels are apt to intersect 

 and girdling will occur and the tree succumb. The mines very often measure 

 over two feet in length and may be three-quarters of an inch wide at their fur- 

 ther end. 



Control 



As to control, one of the best methods to be rei'onmended is cutting out the 

 very young larvae before they get down into the bark. This has been tried 

 with success. As the beetles are sun-loving, it is likely the cultivation of a 

 heav}'' undergrowth will check them from laying, at least, on the lower parts 

 of the trunk, which is a favourite place for deposition. At Ironsides, Que., a 

 large sugar bush which I had the privilege of inspecting was covered with a 

 heavy undergrowth and I attributed the !ow infestation of Glycohius (about 

 3 to 5%) as 1 kely due to this factor, since no control measures whatever were 

 practised. 



The Maple Leaf Cutter 



I should like now to refer for a few minutes to the Maple Leaf Cutter. As 

 the name mplies, it is a leaf feeder and its ravages while not as insidious as the 

 Maple Borer's are much more apparent. 



Last summer this insect was exceedingly abundant in Quel:»ec and Ontario, 

 large areas of maples were completely defoliated by it and some of the groves 

 appeared as if fire had passed over them. Many inquiries were received at 

 Ottawa and there was considerable apprehension among the farmers as to the 

 effect the injury would be likely to have on their sugar output. From Kingston 

 a report showed that 130 acres of maples had been defoliated by the Leaf Cutter. 

 At Perth Road, a point on the C.N.R. about 80 miles west of Ottawa, which I 

 visit; d, a wood lot of 300 acres w^as stripp;d bare, and all the maples from Perth 

 Road as far east as Chaff ey's Locks, a distance of 10 miles, were in like condition. 

 It was in the Eastern Townships however, that the damage was most severe. 

 At Belle Vallee in the Township of St. Johns, very close to the centre of the 

 Gipsy Moth infestation, there was a particularly heavy outbreak. About two- 

 thirds of the foliage was off the trees and th^ remainder was riddled and skeletoni- 

 zed so badly that not a vestige of green remained. The ground, stones, and 

 different objects around were thickly covered with the small circular cases. All 



