130 DESTRUCTIVE INSECTS OF VICTORIA: 



a sticky secretion. Our plate shows trie beetles, also 

 the egg and larva in situ together with the parasites, 

 which are several. 



The perfect insects, which are fairly numerous, and 

 may be shaken from the low branches into an umbrella, 

 are of a brick-red color, the male as in the rest of the 

 great group of weevils being smaller than the female. 



It is scarcely to be credited that these beetles could 

 cause such singular deformities in gum trees of so large 

 a size, and also cause such wholesale destruction to 

 our gum forests. 



Fortunately for us, this beetle has many enemies in 

 the insect world, the Ichneumon Flies being always on 

 the alert, piercing with their tiny ovipositors the soft 

 bodies of both the larvae and pupae of the insect, thereby 

 lessening the chances of the beetles arriving at maturity. 



Prevention and Remedies. 



In this case there is practically no preventive ; but, 

 where valuable forest trees are found to be attacked, 

 all affected parts of the tree should be cut off and 

 destroyed by burning; and, as the beetles are easily 

 captured, the number of the latter, by the exercise of a 

 little care, may be greatly lessened, thereby preventing 

 the egg-laying and the consequent increase of the pests ; 

 and, in this connection, the Forest Department of this 

 State has a great and useful duty to perform, which is 

 incumbent upon them to tackle in a practical manner. 



