NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 79 



There were also a few Hymenopterous parasites upon the bark, 

 evidently searching for an opportunity to oviposit in the borers. 



On the east side of the lake near the upper end there are two 

 large white birch trees with decidedly thin, dying tops. The bronze 

 borer is evidently established in these. We advised cutting out 

 the upper third of these trees in order to remove and destroy all 

 the affected wood. 



There are three large birch trees at the east end of the park not 

 far from Willet street. One has lost most of its limbs and the 

 other two show either dying tips or a very thin foliage, indicating a 

 probably serious infestation. The cutting out and burning of 

 these sometime during the winter or early spring is advised. Near 

 these three trees, which all lie west of a curved walk and approxi- 

 mately in a row, there is on the other side of the walk near the 

 easternmost trees, another large birch which appears healthy. This 

 latter should be watched very carefully and affected wood removed 

 on the initial signs of injury. 



Callous borer (Sesia acerni Clem.) . The larvae of these 

 beautiful, wasplike red-tailed moths occasionally cause serious injury 

 to soft maples in particular, especially in the vicinity of Buffalo 

 and farther west. 



An examination June 27, 192 1, of numerous soft maples about 

 15 years old in the village of Kenmore, Erie county, disclosed a 

 somewhat general infestation by this insect, the borings of successive 

 years having resulted in some cases in a semigirdling of the trunk, 

 and in many others there were numerous unsightly scars or wounds, 

 which would probably be greatly extended if no effort was made to 

 check the borers. There were frequently six to ten pupal skins pro- 

 jecting from the bark, especially on the edges of wounds, though in 

 a few cases a number of exuviae were seen upon areas presenting 

 superficially a normal appearance, though a closer examination 

 showed that most of them were diseased below the surface. 



Observations of the late Dr D. S. Kellicott show that the adults 

 fly about Buffalo from May 20th to June 15th. The eggs are 

 deposited on the bark of both soft and sugar maples, the female 

 preferring as a rule to place them on roughened areas, especially 

 in the vicinity of wounds, if one may judge from the injuries 

 inflicted. The young borers commence work in the bark and sap 

 wood and by fall are about half an inch long. Growth is completed 

 in the spring and the moths issue as stated above. 



Any treatment which results in keeping the bark smooth and 

 normal will afford considerable protection from this pest; conse- 



