Hylobius congener Dalla Torre, Schenkling and Marshall occurs 
from the Northeastern Coast to Alaska and breeds in the inner 
bark on logs and stumps of red, Scotch, and white pines. Adults 
resemble the adults of the pales weevil but are slightly smaller. 
Hylobius aliradicis Warner is a newly-described species (740) 
recently discovered attacking the roots of healthy young slash 
pine seedlings in south Georgia (219). The larvae hollow out the 
smaller roots and bore extensively in the root collar area. Heavily 
infested seedlings are killed. Infestations in plantations up to 4 
years old on disturbed sites appear to be the most serious. 
Pachylobius picivorus (Germ.), the pitch-eating weevil, occurs 
throughout eastern United States, but is most common in the 
South. It attacks various species of pines, the adults chewing on 
the bark of the twigs and the larvae boring in the roots. Damage 
is often serious in recently cut pine areas, especially where plans 
call for the establishment of a new crop of seedlings during the 
first year after the cutting of the old stand. Adults are dark 
brown, robust, and clothed with patches of short, flattened, yel- 
lowish or reddish-brown hairs. The tibiae are thick with the outer 
part enlarged; the tarsi are densely hairy underneath with the 
third segment bilobed. ; 
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 3 feet. 
Eggs are deposited in the cambial region of roots as small as 5 
mm. in diameter. Burrowing may occur as far as 25 feet 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. Where populations are heavy, these cells are formed in 
the wood. Adults emerge when stump root systems are 6 to 11 
months old, depending on the season in which the tree was cut, 
and they fly to fresh cutting areas where they feed and repeat 
the cycle. Adult feeding occurs mainly at night and on cloudy 
days, mostly on seedlings near fresh stumps (708). 
Damage varies with the season, and with the size and vigor of 
the host. It is severe early in the spring following planting. All 
of the buds, bark, and foliage is frequently removed all the way 
down to the ground line. Portions of root bark also may be re- 
moved to depths of 8 inches. Newly established seedlings, if 
attacked at all, are usually severed. Later in the season, damage 
consists mainly of the removal of patches of bark and puncture 
wounds. Very little feeding occurs in July and August and only a 
limited amount during the fall. Heavy mortality has been incurred 
among seedlings planted within 3 months after overstory pines 
were cut. Heaviest attack and seedling mortality occurred in east 
Texas between March and June. : 
Pine seedlings may be planted safely during the winter in east 
Texas on areas cut earlier than the previous July. Farther north, 
a longer wait may be necessary. Before seedlings are planted on 
areas cut within 6 months, they should be chemically treated. 
217 
