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VIIa. The Habits of Asemum striatum and Criocephalus 



ferus. 



[Read February 1st, 1905.] 



Asemum striatum was, prior to 1902, known in Great 

 Britain almost exclusively as an inhabitant of Scotch fir 

 {Pinus sylvcstris) forests in Scotland. 



Dr. Sharp recorded a specimen from Dumfriesshire in 

 1879. Messrs Rye and Skinner in recording the capture 

 of a specimen in 1893, in the New Forest, said — " We 

 believe this to be the earliest record of the species from 

 the South of the Border" ("Entom. Mo. Mag." xxx, 1894, 

 p. 277). Nevertheless we have no doubt that it has been 

 abundant in the New Forest for a long period of years, 

 and has only failed to be detected because of its habits. 



During May and June in 1902, while staying at Bourne- 

 mouth, I made several entomological excursions, with the 

 express purpose of obtaining Longicorn beetles in the 

 larval and pupal stages. It is well known to be very 

 difficult to rear these insects, and it may therefore be 

 well to explain my method. 



My articles of equipment for this work included a thin- 

 edged teaspoon for picking up larva? and pupae ; a small 

 tobacco-box fitted up with short lengths of bamboo-cane 

 of different diameters to serve as artificial burrows for the 

 pupae. The nearer the bamboo sections correspond with 

 the burrows from which pupae are taken, the greater are 

 the chances of rearing them. 



Also a number of cylindrical strong glass bottles with 

 metal screw caps, each one of which is intended for a separ- 

 ate larva. The bottles are filled tightly with two or three 

 pieces of wood and wood refuse taken from the larval 

 burrows ; a suitable cavity is made between the pieces of 

 wood and the larva is inserted. Care is necessary in 

 order that the larva is not too tight nor yet too loose. 

 Once the larva is well established in its new burrow there 

 is not much risk of its dying. M. Valery Mayet advocates 

 the keeping of the Longicorn larvae in galleries bored by a 

 large gimlet in solid wood (Bedel, Fauna Col. Seine V, 

 p. 77). For larvae in their last year or so, however, the 



t:ians. ent. soc. lond. 1905. — part i. (may) 



