128 TIMBERS AND THEIR USES 



in the same manner and G. lands whitens the 

 young Larch stems with its woolly growth. 



The Larch Chermes, C. lands, may serve as 

 our example. In early spring the females, which 

 have hibernated through the winter, begin to 

 stir themselves; they are known as Queen 

 Mothers. As the whorls of larch leaves begin 

 to develop, the Queen Mothers betake themselves 

 thereto and deposit their eggs in the bases of 

 the leaf clusters. From the pale green eggs, 

 very minute larvae emerge and spread over the 

 tree, ruining the growth of the leaves or even 

 defoliating the tree entirely. As the season 

 advances the larvse develop into adult females, 

 secrete the white waxy secretion typical of 

 Chermes, and in its shelter deposit quantities 

 of minute eggs. 



Of these forestry pests Gillanders remarks, 

 " Chermes lands may often be found very 

 injurious to young Larches of from ten to fifteen 

 years of age, more especially on those trees 

 growing in hollows or in damp spots ; Chermes 

 ahietis on Spruce trees which are not growing 

 in suitable places, and often on young Spruce 

 trees in the nursery lines ; Chermes ficece is 

 often found on young Silver Firs in the nursery. 

 C. strobilohius is perhaps more destructive to 

 young trees in the wood, especially those too 

 much overshaded and not thriving well." 



