40 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Early history. Dr Harris, in his classic report, Insects In- 

 jurious to Vegetation, states that this species in conjunction with 

 the broad-necked Prionus, Prionus laticollis, nearly 

 destroyed the lombardy poplars in the vicinity of Cambridge 

 Mass. in the early 40's. In 1880 Mr Shelby Reed, of Scotts- 

 ville N. Y., lost two fine trees on a lawn through the depreda- 

 tions of this pest. Dr Packard reports it as very injurious to 

 poplars along the shores of Casco bay, Me., in 1884, and in 1892 

 it had caused, great depredations among the silver poplars of 

 Cincinnati O. according to Charles Dury. Professor Riley, in 

 his early writings, states that this insect has been universally 

 destructive to cottonwoods and poplars in the western states, 

 and Professor Bruner, in his paper, " The Insect Enemies of 

 Ornamental and Shade Trees," states that this borer is by far the 

 most destructive enemy of poplars and cottonwoods in the west. 

 He further adds that it is almost impossible to grow these trees 

 of any size in cities and towns of Nebraska away from the 

 friendly care of birds and parasitic insects. 



Life history. The recorded life history of this insect is very 

 meager indeed. Dr Harris states that the beetles [pi. 2, fig. 1] 

 occur on the trunks and branches of various forms of poplar in 

 August and September, and other writers notice the life history 

 of the insect in a very brief manner. 



The most obvious signs of infestation are the numerous black- 

 ened, swollen scars along the surface of the trunk and limbs. 

 Sometimes these are open, and in early summer large quantities 

 of borings are expelled from the inhabited galleries, and fre- 

 quently occur in considerable piles about the base of the trees. 

 This is very evident during the latter part of May and in early 

 June. Our observations show that pupae [pi. 2, fig. 2] may be 

 found in considerable numbers in early June in the vicinity of 

 Albany, and that adults appear in early July and continue to 

 emerge throughout that month and probably also during 

 August and into September. In early June we have found full 

 grown larvae [pi. 2, fig. 3] which apparently were nearly ready 

 to pupate, and many pupae, though no beetles breed therefrom 



