

THE LOCUST BORER. 3 



the rough bark, in the forks of the tree, and on the ground around the 

 base of the trunk, during May, June, and July; (4) by the breaking 

 down of the branches and young trees, and by the sickly appearance 

 of the young twigs and leaves in July and August. 



This insect appears to be present and more or less injurious in all of 

 that part of the United States which is east of the Great Plains and 

 north of the Gulf States. Published information and reports of forest 

 officials and others indicate that in Oklahoma and Indian Territory 

 and west of the Great Plains the locust is now quite free from injury 

 by the borer; but that these regions will remain exempt is by no 

 means certain. 



EXTENT OF DAMAGE OR LOSS. 



So extensive is the damage to natural growth, artificial plantations, 

 and shade trees that in some sections within 

 the natural range of the tree in the Eastern 

 States, but particular^ in the Middle West, 

 where both the tree and the insect have been 

 introduced, it is considered unprofitable to 

 grow the tree for shade or timber, and in 

 such sections the natural sprout growth is 

 often considered a pest rather than other- 

 wise. 



The loss resulting from defective timber, 

 stunted growth, and the death of trees is rep- FlG 7/" Thel T"?TV?^ 



fc ' r robin ix): a, eggs; b, c, larvae 



resented bv the difference in value between from hibernation ceils. Much 



the damaged growth or product and the same enlarged (° ri s inal >- 



if uninjured and healthy. This, if expressed in dollars, would rep- 

 resent a large sum. 



POSSIBILITIES OF PREVENTING LOSSES. 



There are sections, especially in the natural home of the tree, where, 

 as has been frequently observed by the writer and others, the damage 

 is not sufficiently severe to seriously affect the vitality of the trees or 

 the commercial value of the product; and our present knowledge of 

 the insect and of methods of preventing losses from its ravages indi- 

 cates that in properly selected localities, and under proper forestry 

 methods of management, the tree, so far as this insect is concerned, 

 can be grown successfully on an extensive scale, and can be made to 

 yield most satisfactory returns. 



HISTORICAL REFERENCES. 



The first reference to this insect, according to Fitch, is a figure and 

 description by Pitiver in his Gozophvlacium, published in London in 

 1702. Drury figured it in L770, and the following year. 1771. Forster 

 gave it the specific name of robiniee, under which it is at present ree- 



