66 NEW YORK StATE MUSEUM 



reflections. Our native searcher, Calosoma scrutator 

 Fabr., is larger and has the bright green wing covers bordered with 

 purpHsh while the thorax has a copper-colored margin. The fiery- 

 ground beetle, Calosoma calidum Fabr.,. is considerably- 

 smaller than the other two mentioned, relatively common and is 

 easily recognized by the rows of coppery-colored spots on the wing 

 covers. All these ground beetles run rapidly, are predacious and 

 if handled incautiously they inflict a rather severe bite. This Euro- 

 pean species is particularly valuable because both the beetle and the 

 grubs climb trees and are therefore specially serviceable in destroy- 

 ing tree-feeding pests. They are very apt to be found on or near 

 trees. They should be recognized at the outset and protected or at 

 least not destroyed. 



Maple and oak twig pruner (Elaphidion villosum 

 Fabr.). The work of this common insect attracted more than usual 

 attention in the vicinity of New York City, judging from the number 

 of inquiries received. The presence of this borer is indicated by the 

 dropping of cleanly cut twigs and small branches of oak, maple and 

 other trees in the fall, spring and early summer and by lopping tips 

 and wilting foliage in late stmimer and early fall. The borer is a 

 legless grub about an inch long when full grown. It tunnels the 

 twigs and smaller branches, usually eating away the interior so com- 

 pletely that the portion containing the pest drops as indicated 

 above. The slender, grayish brown beetles about one-half of an 

 inch long appear in midsummer and deposit eggs during July in the 

 smaller twigs. 



This insect is not usually very injurious though occasionally trees 

 ma}' be severely pruned and in some instances disfigured if not 

 dai-naged by the borer. The most practical control method is the 

 collection and burning of infested twigs in the fall, spring and early 

 summer. This will be more effective if operations extend over a 

 considerable area. There is a chance that spraying with arsenate 

 of lead the latter part of July would be of some value in destroying 

 the parent beetles before they have had an opportunity to lay eggs. 



Liophloeus nubilus Fabr. (tessellatus Bondsd.). A specimen of 

 this insect was received from J. H. Troy, New Rochelle, N. Y., 

 December 31, 191 7, through Dr G. G. Atwood of the Department 

 of Farms and Markets and identified by Doctor Schwarz through 

 the courtesy of Dr L. 0. Howard as the above-mientioned species. 

 Mr Tro}^ states that, " In the winter it eats the roots (greenhouses) 

 and in summer the leaves of rhododendron and taxus. ' ' The reported 

 food habits lead us to suspect that most of the damage in this green- 



