THE OAK 



The beetle which produces this larva is slender and cylindrical, 

 dark brovm, and clothed with grayish, somewhat mottled pubescence. 

 The antennae of the female are shorter, those of the male (illtistrated 

 at 6) longer, than the body; the proximal joints are armed with small 

 spines. Each elytron terminates in two small spines and the femora 

 or thighs are unarmed. The length of the body varies from about 

 one-half to three-fourths of an inch. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



Available records show that the typical oak pruner (ElapMdion 

 villosum Fab.) occurs from New England westward to Michigan, 

 and probably farther west, and southward through the District of 

 Columbia and Virginia to North CaroUna, while there are specimens 

 in the United States National Museum labeled Texas. It is there- 

 fore evident that the species covers the greater portion of the east- 

 em United States, 

 with the possible ex- 

 ception of Georgia 

 and one or two of 

 the Gulf States, 

 from which the typ- 

 ical form has not 

 been seen. 



FOOD PLANTS AND 

 INJURY. 



The list of food 

 plants of this spe- 

 cies includes oak, 

 hickory, pecan, 

 chestnut, maple, fir 

 (Abies) (doubtful, 

 recorded by Halde- 



FfG. 1.— The oak pruner (^Elaphidion villosum): a, Larva; b, beetle; c, 

 pupa; d, end of twig out by larva from tree; e, reverse end contain- 

 ing Insect; /, same from side, split to show pupa within; g, leg of 

 larva, a, h, t, About twice natural size; d, e, /, natural size; g, 

 greatly enlarged . (Author's illustration . ) 



man), locust, elm, redbud {Cercis canadensis), apple, plum, peach, pear, 

 quince, grape, orange, Osage orange {Madura aurarvtiaca) , wistaria, 

 chmbing bittersweet {Celastrus scandens), black wahiut, sweet gum, 

 andhackberry, according to the records of the Forest Insect Investigar 

 tions of this Bureau. Indeed, this insect or aUied species will attack 

 almost every form of deciduous trees, shrubs, and vines with woody 

 stalks. The pruned twigs of various trees and shrubs are of frequent 

 occurrence, and among those which have been noted by the writer 

 in the vicinity of the District of Columbia and in New York are the 

 spicebush (Lindera benzoin), sassafras, sumac, English or white 

 wahiut, and beech. Since no other species of insect in the regions 



(Cir. 130) 



