INSECT i<:nk]miks of western forests 23 



species of Bdlaninus are found in the Western States. These are 

 listed below : 



Species Hosts and distribution 



BaJanhius iniifornii.s Lee 0;ik aeoriis. New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, 



California, Oregon, and Wasliington. 



Balaninus caryae Horn Hielvory, pecans. Eastern States and west- 

 ward into Coloi'ado. 



Balaninus rectus Say Chestnuts, acorns. Eastern States and 



westward into Arizona. 



Balaninus nasicus Say Oalc acorns. Eastern States and westward 



into New Mexico and Arizona. 



Balaninus q-griseac Chittn Griseous oali acorns. Arizona. 



ACORN MOTH 



Small white or pinkish caterpillars, about three-fourths of an 

 inch in length when full grown, the immature stage of the acorn 

 moth {Melissopus latiferranus Wis.), may at times be found boring 

 through acorns and throwing out larval castings, which are held 

 together by a web, at the entrance hole. They also infest the seeds 

 of Catalina cherry in southern California and may likewise be found 

 in the large green cynipid galls formed on various oaks. There is 

 only one brood a year, and the larvae hibernate in cocoons within 

 the ground. 



INSECTS INJURIOUS TO SEEDLINGS IN NURSERY OR 



FOREST 



In nurseries and plantations, and even in natural forests, young 

 seedlings are the easy prey of a great variety of insect enemies. In 

 seedbeds the nurseryman must guard against insects as well as 

 against damping off, rodents, heat injury, and unfavorable soil con- 

 ditions. In transplant beds insect damage may be more severe than 

 in the seedbeds. In some cases white grubs alone have destroyed 90 

 percent of seedlings planted in badly infested soils. In western 

 nurseries the strawberry root weevils have occasionally taken a heavy 

 toll in the transplant beds. Cutworms, grasshoppers, leafhoppers, 

 and other insect pests become abundant at intervals. After planting 

 in the forest, nursery stock is subject to damage by a great many 

 insect enemies before it becomes well established and able to resist 

 attack. So far, western forest nurseries have been more fortunate 

 than those in the East in escaping troublesome insect pests. 



It is at these early stages in the tree's life cycle that root-feeding 

 insects do their greatest damage. After the trees have become fully 

 established in the field and have developed a large root system there 

 is less danger that soil-infesting insects will injure them seriously. 

 Most of the soil-inhabiting insects that feed on the roots of seedlings 

 show little preference for any particular tree species. Root bark 

 beetles and root aphids are among the few that confine their feeding 

 to the roots of certain host plants. White grubs, wireworms, root 

 weevils, cutworms, and root maggots feed not only on the roots of 

 forest seedlings but on the roots of many other plants. The stems 

 of young seedlings may be attacked above ground by cutworms, 

 grasshoppers, leafhoppers, and various bark-chewing beetles; and 

 the leaves may be fed upon by caterpillars and sawflies and by vari- 



