﻿WHITE PINE UNDEK FOREST MANAGEMENT. 63 



According to Dr. Hopkins, the adult overwintered beetles are 

 active during the month of May, and the eggs are deposited in the 

 bark of the terminal of the preceding year's growth. Small whitish 

 grubs hatch from these eggs, feed on the inner bark, and thus cause 

 the death of the terminal. When the grubs are full grown they 

 transform to pupse early in July in chip cocoons in the outer wood 

 or pith of the terminal, and the adults will begin to emerge from 

 the terminals during the last week in July, and practically all will 

 be out by the 15th of September. 



The terminals which are infested with the medium to maturing 

 stages of the weevil are easily recognized during the latter .part of 

 June and first part of July by the wilting of the new terminal and 

 branches on the last year's terminals, and this is the time the termi- 

 nals should _be removed in order to destroy the brood. 



Weevil damage is most common, and always most serious, in 

 trees less than 30 feet high. Protective measures must be under- 

 taken, therefore, when the stand is young. Whenever an infestation 

 appears all the pine tops which show it should be cut off during 

 June and July, before the beetles have escaped. These can be 

 burned, but since they often contain minute insect parasites which 

 are themselves valuable agents in resisting the increase of the weevils, 

 it is best to treat them according to the method suggested by Dr. 

 A. D. Hopkins, of the Bureau of Entomology. This consists hi 

 placing the infested tops in a tight box, barrel, or preferably a metal 

 can with but one opening covered with ordinary fly-screen netting. 

 This permits the escape of the small parasites, but confines the 

 weevils. The receptacle, if of wood, should be examined from time 

 to time to see that no weather checks or cracks develop which would 

 allow the weevils to escape. It will take more than one season to 

 exterminate weevils should they appear, and young stands should, 

 wherever possible, be examined every year during the months of 

 June and July. 



Occasionally two side branches instead of one will replace the 

 destroyed leader, resulting in a forked tree. To prevent this, all 

 but one side branch of the upper whorl — the thriftiest where there 

 is a difference — should be cut off even with the main stem. Where 

 trees have already started to fork one of the forks should be removed 

 in the same manner. 



