102 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



trees. At this time there were under the bark many grubs, numer- 

 ous pupae and a few recently transformed beetles. Some of the 

 beetles were about ready to desert the tree and it was evident that 

 most of the others would leave the trunk within a week or two and 

 attack some adjacent tree. Observations in 1900 showed that about 

 eight weeks were necessary to complete the life cycle, so there was a 

 fair chance of the recently emerging beetles attacking other trees 

 and their progeny attaining maturity before they would be obliged 

 to suspend activities because of approaching cold weather. 



There has been a material increase in injuries to trees by bark 

 borers during the past decade or more. Hundreds of pines, most 

 of them magnificent specimens, have succumbed to these insidious 

 enemies in the near vicinity of Albany. It is probable that the ex- 

 cessive droughts and extremely low winter temperatures of recent 

 years have had an important effect upon many trees and resulted 

 in lowering their vitality and probably making conditions more 

 favorable for insect attack. These changes have, furthermore, 

 been accentuated in suburban sections by the cutting out of many 

 trees and the sudden exposure of previously shaded trunks to full 

 sunlight. These factors have probably had an important eft'ect upon 

 insects habitually preying upon the trees. 



The recognition of the causes may make it possible, in some 

 measure at least, to avoid trouble in the future. It is obviously 

 impossible to bring about speedy changes in climatic conditions, 

 nevertheless the general adoption of a program which would result 

 in the reforestation of areas now producing very little or nothing, 

 should eventuate in welcome changes. A\^ell-distributed, thrifty 

 forest areas would tend to reduce the violence of our floods, miti- 

 gate the extremes of temperatures and conserve much needed 

 moisture for the midsummer months. This would result in better 

 growing conditions for our trees and enable them in turn to resist 

 more successfully their insect enemies. 



There is no practical method of destroying this bark borer if 

 it has become well established in the tree, unless possibly in the 

 case of highly prized pines standing upon lawns or private grounds. 

 The important fact to recognize is that infested trees are not only 

 doomed but may produce millions of beetles which will speedily 

 attack others in the vicinity. The preservation of pines now re- 

 maining must depend in large measure upon the recognition of 

 bark borer injury at an early stage and the prompt destruction, 

 preferably by burning, of at least the bark with its contained in- 

 sects. All should understand that the most dangerous pines, so 



