32 



their length are black, the remaining third is yellow, and they are 

 ornamented with bands and spots arranged in the following man- 

 ner : a yellow spot on each shoulder, a broad yellow curved band 

 or arch, of which the yellow scutel forms the keystone, on the base 

 of the wing-covers ; behind this a zigzag yellow band forming the 

 letter W, across the middle another yellow band arching back- 

 wards, and on the yellow tip a black curved band and spot ; legs 

 yellow, while the under side of the body is reddish-yellow, varie- 

 gated with brown, nearly an inch in length." 



Nature of the Damage. 

 The cambium laj^er, the layer of living wood just beneath the 

 bark, is the growing part of the tree and contains vessels which 

 serve a function similar to that of the arteries and veins of an 

 animal. The grubs or larvre of the borer feed in the cambium 

 and cut off the circulation of sap. This results in the death of the 

 trunk near the burrows, the bark falls off and areas of dead wood 

 are exposed to the disintegrating influences of the air. In the 

 meantime, however, the tree attempts to overcome the injury by 

 throwing out an additional growth at the wounded places, and thus 

 the gnarled and unsightly trunks are produced. An early yellow- 

 ing and falling of the foliage is another indication of the presence 

 of the borer and betrays the weakened condition of the tree. The 

 largest or so-called " first growth " maples are nearly exempt 

 from the attacks of this insect, possibly because the roughness and 

 thickness of the bark may prevent the beetle from depositing its 

 eggs. Younger trees, with smoother bark, are frequently attacked, 

 and upon such trees throughout the State the ravages of the beetle 

 are apparently on the increase. 



Natural Enemies. 

 As natural enemies of this insect it is probable that various spe- 

 cies of woodpeckers render the greatest service. At Huntington, 

 Mass., I have seen the hairy woodpecker, the downy woodpecker 

 and the flicker feeding upon white larvae taken from beneath the 

 bark of maples infested by this borer, — presumptive evidence that 

 these birds feed upon this insect. 



Remedies. 

 The application of remedial treatment for borers is generally 

 attended with considerable difficulty, since the insects cannot be 

 reached by insecticides, and in the case of the maple borer, as 

 with many allied beetles, hand labor is the best means for destroy- 

 ing the pest. An examination of the infested trees in September 



