THE LEAD-CABLE BORER IN CALIFORNIA, 



11 



mens. Many entered through the partially closed lid of the box but 

 others bored through the sides. After entering the box the beetles 



burrowed into the cork stoppers of the 

 vials. Some went through the cork to 

 the alcohol, while others bored between 

 the cork and the glass and stopped. 

 (PI. IX, Fig. 4.) 



Dr. J. J. Rivers (62) reported a 

 number of years ago that the beetles 

 damaged wine casks in California by 

 boring across the grain of the wood to 

 the contents. About this same time 

 D. W. Coquillett {63) reported that 

 the species mined orange wood and 

 rosebushes. The reference to rose may 

 refer to Psoa maculata Lee, nearly 

 related to S. declivis. 



EXTENT OF DAMAGE. 



The work is very common in most of 

 the oak wood used for fuel in central 

 California. This wood is cut during 

 the summer months when the beetles 

 are flying and is particularly likely to 

 be infested. It has been very little 

 trouble to collect all of the infested 

 Avood needed for laboratory rearing 

 purposes at the Los Gatos wood yards 

 during the winter months. Practi- 

 cally every fallen tree of any of the 

 oaks in the forests shows extensive 

 Avork of this species. Dead or dying 

 elms in the parks or along the high- 

 ways are likely to be similarly infested. 

 Doctor Eivers {62) says that it at- 

 tacks dry lumber, particularly oak, 

 and especially oaken wine casks, and 

 that it has caused the loss of thousands of dollars to the wine in- 

 dustry. Prof. J. H. Comstock {60) also mentions this habit and 

 says that oak, chestnut, pine, whitewood, and eucalyptus casks were 

 used to stop the trouble, but without success. 



BIOLOGY OF SCOBICIA DECLIVIS. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



The insect appears to be widely distributed in California. There 

 are specimens in the Forest Insect collection from Berkeley, Confi- 



PiG. 8. — Exit holes of the California 

 lead-cable borer in bark of Cali- 

 fornia live oak; Los Gatos, Calif. 

 Natural size. 



