254 



NOTE ON HYLESINUS SERICEUS. 



l\v K. A. Sliiwai;/.. 



One of the most abuiidant species of seolytid beetles iu the Kocky 

 Mouiitaius, as well as throughout the Northwest, is HylesinuH sericeus 

 3Iaini. It develops under bark of various species of pine and spruce 

 trees, and has no doubt a considerable economic importance, although 

 at the present day no attention whatever is paid to the insect enemies 

 of our Western forest trees. The beetle is abundant in the magnificent 

 forests of the Coast and Cascade ranges in Oregon. Wasliinoton, and 



Fig. 25. — Work of Jli/hiimu sericeus uuJer bark ui i'i\tc( tiijehnaiu^i (Marx del. >. 



British Columbia, but it would be foolish to speak of it as injurious in 

 these regions, since whatever damage it may do sinks into utter iusig 

 nificance when compared with the devastations caused by the lumber- 

 man. In the Eocky Mountains of the United States, where the forests 

 are akeady considerably thinned out, the iujui-ious work of this and 

 some other scolytids of the genus Tomicus becomes much more appar- 

 ent, as I recently witnessed myself on a vacation trip through the 

 Wahsatch Mountains in Utah. The beautiful pine forests that once 

 covered the canyons and higher plateaus have long since disai)peared 



