134 MISC. PUBLICATION 273, U. 8. 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 the 
outer bark and pupate in oval cells close to the surface. There 
appears to be one generation annually. 
The California melanophila (Melanophila californica 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 drummondi 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. Jf. 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 Lec., 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 sting them here. 
ROUNDHEADED BORERS OR LONG-HORNED BEETLES 
(Cerambycidae) 
The roundheaded borers, or long-horned beetles (24), 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 
