clothed with patches of short, flattened, yellowish or reddish-brown hairs. The 
tibiae are thick with the outer part enlarged; the tarsi are densely hairy underneath 
with the third segment bilobed. 
F-532347 
Figure 150.—Adult pitcheating weevil, Pachylobius 
picivorus. 
Adults are attracted to and breed beneath the bark of dying pine stumps or roots. 
To lay eggs, the female bores directly down through the soil to green roots, 
sometimes to a depth of | m. Eggs are deposited in the cambial region of roots as 
small as 5 mm in diameter. Burrowing may occur as far as 8 m from the stump. 
Small piles of large soil particles surround the entrance holes into the soil. The 
newly hatched larvae feed beneath the bark, packing their mines with fine, red, 
boring dust and frass. The surface of the sapwood may be etched, depending upon 
the number and size of the larvae and the size of the root. Mature larvae excavate 
cells and construct chip cocoons in which to pupate. 
When there are many larvae, these cells are formed in the wood. Adults emerge 
in 6 to 11 months, depending on the season in which the tree was cut. Then they fly 
to newly cut areas where they feed and repeat the cycle. Most adult feeding occurs 
at night on seedlings near fresh stumps, but some feeding also occurs on cloudy 
days (444, 1193). 
Damage varies with the season, and with the size and vigor of the tree. All of the 
buds, bark, and foliage may be removed to the ground. Roots as deep as 20 cm may 
be damaged. Attacks on newly established seedlings are usually severe. Mortality 
is particularly severe among seedlings planted within 3 months after overstory 
pines are cut. Heaviest attack with resulting seedling mortality occurred in eastern 
Texas between March and June. Later, in July and August, very little feeding occurs 
and damage mainly consists of puncture wounds and the removal of patches of bark. 
Feeding in autumn is very limited. 
Pine seedlings may be planted safely during the winter in eastern Texas on areas 
cut earlier than the previous July. Farther north, a longer wait may be necessary. 
Seedlings should be chemically treated before planting on areas cut within 6 
months. Stands may be cut during seed years without danger of excessive losses to 
regeneration (934, 1193). 
The bark weevils of the genus Pissodes attack both living and dead conifers. 
There are about 30 species in North America; their taxonomy is not altogether clear. 
32] 
