PINE-WOOD STUDIES 5 



The balm and gum of resinous woods seem to 

 have a charm for these insects. Most of them are 

 injurious to trees, and feed upon products which 

 would be certain death to others. The giant sir ex 

 is a hornet-like borer which does much harm to 

 growing timber. The grub bores to its retreat, 

 feeds upon the hard wood until its pupa state, then 

 emerges a perfect insect. 



The pretty pine-moth has its wings orange-brown, 

 variegated with rich dark brown and grey. Its 

 larvae is fed upon the fir, and may be taken in great 

 quantities. On some bright spring day the cocoon 

 opens and the pine beauty emerges. Then it basks 

 on the dark pines, its wings to the sun, and it is only 

 whilst moving that the insect can be detected. But 

 these children of the wood, like the brightly-coloured 

 fungi, are parasites, and riddle and bore and drill 

 the timber in all directions. Borings like those of 

 the scolytus, tunnellings under the bark, and the 

 formation of resinous galls are all insect doings. 



Fairy-like fungi in a variety of forms is parasitic on 

 the pine, and relieves the somewhat sombre colouring 

 by flashes of scarlet and glowing lustre. Beetles 

 and insects innumerable swarm through the fallen 

 needles, and sport their gauzy wings in the sunlight. 



