153 



In about a fortnight, from each of these eggs is hatched a minute 

 footless grub of a whitish color, with a yellowish head, which eats its 

 way directly downwards in the bark. For the first year of their lives 

 they live U|X)n the inner bark and sap-wood, forming fiat shallow cav- 

 ities, which are filled with their saw-dust-like castings. Although 

 its operations vary somewhat, yet, as a general rule, on the approach 

 of winter it descends toward the ground, and probably remains inac- 

 tive until the following spring, when it commences to cut a cylindri- 

 cal passage upward in the solid wood. The latter burrow or hole runs 

 slightly inwards toward the centre of the tree, and then outwards, 

 terminating at the bark. Having done this, it stuffs the upper end 

 of its burrow with the saw-dust-like castings, and the lower part with 

 small woody fibres, after which it rests from its labors and enters the 

 pupa state. According to Dr. Fitch, it remains in the tree two years 

 from the time it is hatched ; but, according to Prof. Riley, three 

 years. 



The larva, when fully grown, varies considerably in size, but is 

 usually nearly an inch long, and about one-fourth of an inch in diam- 

 eter at the broadest part. It is cylindrical in form, which distin- 

 guishes it from the flat-headed borer; the segment immediately be- 

 hind the head is considerably larger and broader than the others, 

 with a tawny yellow spot, of a somewhat horny consistency on the 

 upper side. The head is a shining chestnut-brown, the jaws deep 

 black. The body is soft and fleshy, and of a very pale yellow or 

 whitish color. The two segments immediately behind the larger one 

 are much shorter than the others; on the top of the last six or seven 

 segments is a double wart-like elevation. 



Length as given above. 



Mr. D. B. Wier, who has studied quite thoroughly the habits of this 

 species in Illinois orchards, makes the following statement : 



"If the beetles are numerous, different females will often lay their 

 eggs on the same tree at different periods, sometimes as long as two 

 months or more apart. I have found as many as twenty-seven young 

 borers of eight different sizes in one tree in September, a fact that has 

 probably given rise to much of the confusion concerning this insect. 

 How many eggs this beetle lays I have not been able to determine, 

 probably about one hundred. The eggs soon hatch out little, fleshy, 

 dirty, whitish-yellow, [cylindrical grubs or larva with a small, da»'k 

 chestnut brown head, the segment next the head being large, the 

 next two narrow (short), the rest large, with two warts each, on both 

 the upper and under side, covered with very short, sharp, stiff bristles ; 

 the thirteenth segment is short and cylindrical. The grubs have no 

 feet. 



"As soon as hatched the young grubs begin to gnaw their way into 

 the bark of the tree by means of strong, sharp jaws. They do not 

 usually penetrate directly through, but reach the liber or inner bark 

 half an inch distant from the point of entrance. In their passage 

 through the bark they shove their excrement and refuse out through 

 the opening of their burrow, and being of a glutinous nature it collects 

 around its mouth in a mass as large as half a bean or in the shape of 

 a tear; these excretions are usually of an orange color, and are at once 

 recognized by the experienced eye. 



