APPLE INSECTS OF MAINE. IO9 



spring it emerges, 'deposits its eggs, and the cycle of life is com- 

 plete. 



Vulnerable Points and Remedies. 



The eggs are laid in the bark, in plain view, and can be readily- 

 detected and taken out. The young larvse are readily located 

 by the flow of sap from the wound they make, and by the chip- 

 pings they push out of the mouth of the borings. 



The perfect insect may be prevented from depositing eggs by 

 the application of repellants to the trunk of the tree, e. g., tarred 

 paper, or a mound of earth. Soft soap, or whitewash, applied to 

 the trunk of the tree in June and July, is said to prevent the beetle 

 from laying her eggs on the trees thus protected. Thetrees should 

 be examined twice each year, in May and September, and the 

 young larvse removed. Should any escape, and penetrate deeply 

 into the wood, they may be destroyed by probing with a sharp 

 wire. 



THE FLAT-HEADED APPLE TREE BORER. ClirySObotJiris 



femorata, Fabr. 

 This insect, a native of America, is common in Maine. Besides 

 the apple, it is known to attack the pear, plum and peach, also 

 the oak, box-elder, hickories and maples. The injury attributed 

 to the round-headed borer is often due to it. 



Description. 



Eggs. — Pale j'ellow, varied, with one end flattened, irregularly ribbed. 



Larva. — Soft, flesh-like, pale yellow; head small, deeply set; jaws 

 black; third segment twice as broad as any of the posterior ones, and 

 bearing on its upper surface a large, oval, callous-like projection, covered 

 with numerous raised brown points. 



Pupa. — Lighter colored than the larva and with transverse rows of 

 minute spines on the back and a few at the extremity of the body. 



Perfect Insect. — A beetle, variable in size but usually about one-half 

 inch long, oblong-flattish in shape, of a dark, dull greenish color with a 

 coppery reflection ; under side and legs brilliant copper color ; feet green. 

 On each wing case are two irregularly oblong spots of deeper copper 

 color than the remainder of the wing, dividing the wing cases into three 

 nearly equal portions. The upper surface appears as though sprinkled 

 with an ash-colored powder. 



Life History. 



The beetle makes its appearance in June or July in our lati- 

 tude. It loves the light and may frequently be seen about the 



