LARGE DIADOXUS BORER. 45 



CHAPTER CXII. 



LARGE DIADOXUS BORER. 



(Diadoxus scalaris, Lap. et Gory.) 



Order : Coleoptera. Family : Buprestidce. 



The genus Diadoxus, which comprises three species, was 

 formerly known to Victorian entomologists as belonging to 

 the foreign genus Ancylocheiria. There are but two 

 Victorian species, the one under notice here being much 

 the larger of the two ; the larvae of both live in the wood 

 of the Murray pine, and are terribly destructive, also to 

 the Lambert's Cypress (Cupressus Lambertiana), the latter 

 being the plant so largely in use for hedges and breakwinds. 



The males (see Figs. II. and III.) are smaller than the 

 females, and, as a rule, display greater activity. In small 

 trees the larvae of these insects first feed round the stem 

 under the bark, cutting the sap wood, and causing the 

 tree to snap off. When the Cypress is attacked, the boring 

 is the same as that shown on the plate. The perfect insect, 

 then somewhat soft, emerges from the holes in the side of 

 the tree attacked. The larva is flattened in shape, with 

 the head and thorax part much dilated. A little warmth 

 soon serves to harden the newly-emerged beetles, which 

 soon become very quick in their movements, especially 

 when walking. The mandibles of the larvae are strong, 

 and well adapted for tunnelling. 



It has been stated that the Murray Pine is almost immune 

 from insect attacks. Leaving these two beetles out of the 

 question, there are others which are almost peculiar to the 

 Murray Pine timber. When cut, however, it is one of the 

 very few timbers which the White Ant seems not to be 

 particularly fond of, although it is by no means exempt 

 from the latter pest. 



