REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST IQO/ 4I 



Experience has shown that it is comparatively easy to recognize 

 the presence of this insect, particularly in late fall or early spring, 

 at the time the young grubs have just commenced their operations. 

 The point of entrance is then usually indicated by a slight scar 

 from which sap may be oozing, and a short filament of borings 

 dangling therefrom. ■ Infested trees should be carefully examined 

 for all such indications, the young borers removed and the wounds 

 carefully covered with paint, tar or other protective material. A 

 little time bestowed upon the trees in late fall or early spring should 

 result in practical immunity from injury by this destructive borer. 



I 

 Miscellaneous 



White grubs (Lachnosterna fusca Frohl.) . This 

 species and certain of its allies annually cause considerable damage 

 to various growing crops. The occurrence of these destructive 

 grubs in grass lands, strawberry beds, potato and cornfields and 

 similar places, is a matter of common observation. The past sum- 

 mer our attention was called to a unique form of injury, in that 

 these grubs had destroyed at the State nurseries located at Waw- 

 beek, Franklin co., N. Y., some 2500 to 3000 one and two year 

 old white and Scotch pine seedlings. This form of injury was also 

 observed by State Forester C. R. Pettis in the nurseries located at 

 Saranac Inn. State Forester E. S. Woodruff, who was at Wawbeek 

 at the time of the trouble, informs the writer that one grub would 

 destroy three or four seedlings before being detected. The first 

 year seedlings were usually eaten off near the ground and the 

 leaves apparently drawn down into the burrow and devoured sub- 

 sequently. There are a number of records of young trees being 

 injured by white grubs, though this appears to be the first instance 

 where this pest has been known to attack the roots of conifers. 



A^arious collections in this section of the country show that our 

 most common species of Lachnosterna is L . fusca Frohl. It 

 is by far the best represented of. any in the State collections, and 

 the extensive series of trap lanterns operated at Cornell University 

 during 1889 and 1892 show that 83;^ of the June beetles captured 

 were referable to this form. These insects are so familiar as to 

 hardly necessitate description. The adult beetle is a little less than 

 an inch in length, thick-bodied, broadly rounded at both extremities 

 and usually a mahogany-brown color. The familiar white grub is 

 well known as a stout, curved larva hdng upon its side and com- 

 monly found about the roots of grasses or in strawberry beds. The 



