THE STEEL-BLUE SHE-OAK BORER. 95 



CHAPTER LXXXII. 



THE STEEL-BLUE SHE-OAK BORER. 



{Stigmodera vertebralis, Donovan). 



Order : Coleoptera. Family : Buprestidce. 



This serious enemy of our so-called She-oak trees 

 ^Casuarina)) is fairly common in many parts of Victoria 

 and New South Wales, although the beetles themselves 

 are not frequently seen, as they are probably destroyed 

 by ants. Spiders and birds attack them, especially 

 after they emerge from the wood, when the parts are 

 soft and not sufficiently hardened. 



In the perfect state, the beetles may frequently be found 

 on flowering plants in hot weather ; and in former years 

 they have been much more plentiful than they now 

 appear to be. The beetle itself is frequently found dead 

 under gum-trees ; and, there is no doubt that this pest 

 does not confine its attacks to Casuarina, but attacks 

 the Eucalyptus as well. 



The larva (see plate) is supposed to remain in the 

 wood for a considerable time, and while there, until the 

 pupal stage is reached, is eating all the time. 



The splendid family of the Buprestidce are, when in 

 the larval stage, all or nearly all wood-feeders ; and, as 

 has been stated in another chapter, do immense damage 

 to some forests. 



The wasp-like insects shown in Fig. 3 are parasitic on 

 the larvae of this beetle, and may often be seen crawling 

 over the bark, and probing any holes or crevices with 

 their long wiry ovipositors. 



In many cases, not only in the large group of which 

 we are now writing, the dead or partly dead timber only 

 is attacked, still the greater proportion attack the tree 

 when growing ; and, when they bore into the centre, 



