CHERMES OF MAINE CONIFERS. 303 



groups; metathorax with median groups extending nearly across 

 the segment; abdomen with large groups on I- VI, median 

 groups on I-VI being largest on I and graduated to smallest 

 on VI; a group of wax pores midway between the median 

 and lateral series on segments II-VI, those on IVA'I being 

 much larger than those on I-II (the group on I, of 2 or 3 open- 

 ings only, is sometimes missing). 



Certain striking resemblances of this Maine collection to simi- 

 lis as described by Professor C. P. Gillette''' led me to submit bal- 

 sam mounts, galls and illustrations to him. On the basis of this 

 data he stated that he is unable to find any good distinguish- 

 ing characters to separate this ]\Iaine material from siinilis. 

 Professor Gillette 's courtesy in determining this species enables 

 me to introduce similis from Maine. 



Chermes pinicorticis Fitch. 



It frequently happens that trunks of the white pine in Maine 

 are more or less covered by the white secretion of this minute 

 Chermes which gives the bark a moldy appearance (fig. 146). 

 The infestation has been particularly heavy during 1908 and 

 1909, but during the latter season so many syrphus maggots 

 were present preying upon the Chermes that these natural ene- 

 mies seem likely to check its increase. 



Though I have reared the winged forms of pinicorficis, I 

 have made no special study of this species. Whether it con- 

 fines itself to the pine or possesses an alternate host is not known. 

 I have found the winged forms resting in abundance on needles 

 of infested small white pines, from w^hich they took flight at 

 the slightest jar. Whether their destination was another species 

 of plant or merely another white pine, the present knowledge 

 of this species does not give basis to state. 



Either the wing or the antennal characters of Clicrmcs pini- 

 corticis would serve to distinguish it from any of the 6 Chermes 

 discussed in this paper, though its minute size alone would 

 prevent confusion. 



The fullest account of this species is by Mr. Storment pub- 

 lished in the Appendix to the Ticentieth Report of the State 

 Entomologist of Illinois. In Mr. Storment 's paper, as in others 



* Clionucs of Colorado Conifers. IQ07. 



