U. S. D. A., B. E. Bui. 58, Part IV. F. j. i., November 10, 1909. 



SOME INSECTS INJURIOUS TO FORESTS. 



THE SOUTHERN PINE SAWYER. 



(Monohammus titillator Fab.) 



By J. L. Webb, M. S., Agent and Expert. 



INTRODTTCTION. 



MoTwhammus titillator, or the southern pine sawyer, has been 

 known to systematic entomologA' for over a century. It is some- 

 what surprising to note, therefore, that scarcely anything is to be 

 found in Mterature upon the economic importance of this insect, 

 which may truly be said to be one of the most destructive enemies 

 of the crude product of pine forests, especially in the Southern 

 States. Of late years the increasing number of severe storms, so 

 destructive to pine forests in the Southern States, has provided 

 such excellent breeding places for the sawyer in felled trunks and 

 standing stubs that its work is now known to every lumberman in 

 that section of the country as one of the worst injuries to his industry 

 with which he has to contend. The increasing demand by these 

 lumbermen for exact information in regard to the insect rendered 

 necessary a personal investigation of the seasonal history, habits, 

 and facilities for control. To that end the writer spent the months 

 of July and August, 1908, in southern ^Mississippi, near the town of 

 Baxterville, for the purpose of studying the insect and its habits and 

 conducting a few experiments to determine the best remedy for 

 combating it. Subsequently trips were made to this region in October, 

 1908, and March, 1909. Investigations were also made, in the latter 

 part of July, 1908, in a district near Kent wood. La., that had been 

 visited by a cyclone, and in a similar district near De Queen, Ark., 

 in October, 1908. The results of these investigations are given in 

 the following pages. 



The writer desires to acknowledge, in this connection, the coiu"tesy 

 and kindness of Mr. E. McLennan, of Hattiesburg, Miss., general agent 

 for a company controlling timber land in that vicinity, in furnishing 

 trees on the company's property to be felled for use in seasonal 

 history experiments. 



61830°— Bull. 58—10 4 



