134 MISC. PUBLICATION 273, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



inch in length. They are primarily bark-boring in habit and rarely 

 enter the wood. On reaching maturity the larvae work out into th-e 

 outer bark and pupate in oval cells close to the surface. There 

 appears to be one generation annually. 



The California melanophila {Melanophila calif ornica Van D.) is 

 similar in habits to the foregoing but has been found very destruc- 

 tive to various pines throughout California, Oregon, and Idaho. It 

 is also reported from Douglas fir and bigcone spruce. Pines grow- 

 ing on rocky slopes, in fringe type stands, or in other situations 

 where soil moisture is insufficient for normal tree growth, and old 

 decadent trees are most frequently subject to attack. The larvae 

 bore under the bark of the main trunk and scar the sapwood of 

 apparently healthy trees, and it is the species of flatheaded borer 

 most frequently found killing the tops of ponderosa pines. The 

 adults are a greenish bronze and about one-half inch in length. 



The fir flatheaded borer {Melanophila drmninondi Kirby) is the 

 species of this group most frequently found attacking Douglas fir, 

 balsam firs, and hemlock. It also attacks western larch, spruce, and 

 possibly other conifers. Though preferring trees that are dying or 

 recently felled, the beetles sometimes attack and kill apparently 

 healthy trees. The adults are from three-eighths to one-half inch 

 in length and are metallic bronze or dull shining black and have an 

 iridescent sheen. Some of the beetles have bright golden spots on 

 the wing covers. M. pini-edulis Burke works in dying or dead pifion 

 pine in Colorado. Utah, and Arizona. 



Certain small, flat, nearly black metallic beetles called "firebugs'' 

 are well known to fire fighters in the pine region on account of their 

 prevalence around forest fires, where they gather in large numbers on 

 the men's backs or bite them on the neck, arms, and hands. They 

 appear to be strongly attracted by the smoke of forest fires; and 

 during conflagrations, owing to some peculiar instinct, they try 

 frantically to lay their eggs on the still smouldering trees. 

 Several species of Melanophila have this habit, the most common 

 offenders being M. acuminata DeG. and M. consputa Lee, which 

 attack badly fire-scorched or weakened pines, spruces, firs, and other 

 conifers, and even some hardwoods. The larvae feed in the inner 

 bark. 



There are many other species of flatheaded borers that feed in 

 and under the bark and do more or less damage to forest trees, but 

 so far none of the western species have become of sufficient impor- 

 tance to require the application of control measures, and space does 

 not permit listing them here. 



ROUNDHEADED BORERS OR LONG-HORNED BEETLES 



( Cerambycidae ) 



The roundheaded borers, or long-horned beetles (^^), are an im- 

 portant group of forest insects, and include some very destructive 

 species of tree-killing and wood-boring forms. Few of the western 

 species, however, are serious enemies of living trees, although many 

 species are injurious to forest products. 



The adults are medium- to large-sized, oblong to cylindrical beetles, 

 with antennae often longer than the entire body. These long anten- 

 nae, or feelers, are their most characteristic feature and give them the 



