UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



BULLETIN No, 262 Jfcjifc 



s&F^&L 



Contribution from the Bureau of Entomology 

 L. O. HOWARD, Chief. 



•^-^•^Lcu 



Washington, D. C. 



July 19, 1915. 



THE PARANDRA BORER AS AN ORCHARD ENEMY. 



By Fred E. Brooks, 

 Entomological Assistant, Deciduous- Fruit Insect Investigations. 



INTRODUCTION. 



During the past few years the larva of a medium-sized brown beetle, 

 Parandra brunnea Fab., has attracted considerable attention as an 

 enemy of trees of several widely separated species and of chestnut 

 telephone and telegraph poles. The characteristic injury of the 

 insect to trees is in the form of a multitude of tortuous larval galleries 

 extending through a more or less restricted portion of the trunk or 

 larger branches. The most destructive attacks usually occur in the 

 trunk within a few feet from the ground, the work of the borers 

 being followed quickly by the decay of the affected wood and fre- 

 quently by the breaking down of the tree (PI. I, fig. a) at the point 

 of greatest injury. (PI. I, fig. b.) 



Cultivated fruit trees are often injured by this borer, old apple, 

 pear, and cherry trees being especially liable to attack. Hollow 

 bases and decaying areas and cavities in the trunk and the conse- 

 quenl breaking and falling of weakened trees under the pressure of 

 wind and snow are conditions quite commonly due in a large measure 

 t<> the work of this insect. Injury is especially noticeable to trees 

 growing in sunny, exposed positions, and the insect seems to be 

 rather more abundant about villages and cities than in country 

 districts, although both the larvae and adults are found in many 

 di ^similar local ions and under a variety of conditions. 



Tree surgeons and other persons who attempt to save and rcjuvc- 

 nate fruit tiers suffering from diseased and decaying trunks quite 

 often encounter the Parandra borer and its work. In cleaning out 



Note. Thi bulletin de cribe the Parandra borei as an enemy of fruit trees, gives its history and dis- 

 method ol combating It. l\ trill be of interest throughout the greater portion of 



in Mr. Snyder's interest a enemy to chestnut telephone and tele- 



graph poles (Bui. 94, Pt. i, Bur. Km., I . S. Dept. ' i ,1910), the beetles are Qui fcrated fa Plate i, Sgure 



the male I Mr. Snyder In ; ili « • » -. < ■ r . ■ . I I.IkiI llii.; i; an nrror 



and v. the female I drnosi .1 1 n tt least as large as the male. 



•Mi! j Bull. 202 — 16 



