stumps, or logs escape attack. Large amounts of white downy- 
frass is evidence of attack. 
Platypus quadridentatus (Oliv.) occurs throughout the South 
and north to West Virginia and North Carolina. Various species 
of hardwoods, especially the oaks, are most commonly attacked. 
Magnolia seedlings have also been severely damaged in a nursery 
in Florida. Adults are dark reddish-brown and about 4.5 mm. 
long. The front of the head is shallowly and densely punctured 
and sparsely clothed with moderately long hairs. The pronotum is 
longer than broad, and, in the female, it bears two large pits just 
behind the middle. The third, fifth, and seventh interspaces of the 
elytra are produced into toothlike processes on the elytral de- 
clivity of the male. Two large tuberosities also occur on the lower 
edge of the declivity, and two hook-like spines are on the fourth 
abdominal segment. 
Platypus compositus (Say) occurs throughout the Southern 
States northward to southern New York and southern Illinois. It 
breeds in a wide variety of deciduous trees such as hickory, pecan, 
birch, poplar, oak, chestnut, basswood, elm, beech, sweetgum, 
sourgum, magnolia, persimmon, and cypress. Recently felled or 
girdled cypress is often seriously damaged (fig. 103). Adults are 
light reddish-brown and about 4.5 mm. long. The front of the 
head is densely punctured above, and there are two centrally lo- 
cated pits just behind the middle of the pronotum. The first, 
third, and seventh interspaces of the elytra of the male are pro- 
duced into small tubercles on the declivity. The declivity also bears 
two large tridentate teeth at the outer apical angle. 
Control of Ambrosia Beetles—Ambrosia beetle control is 
largely a matter of prevention of damage to recently cut logs 
through the regulation of woods practice, and in the proper hand- 
ling of milled products (41). Control for several months has also © 
been obtained by spraying with an approved insecticide (404, 
405). 
COURTESY OF 
DUKE UNIV. SCH. OF FOREST. 
FIGURE 103.—Tunnels and 
larval cradles of the am- 
brosia beetle, Platypus 
compositus, in the wood of 
persimmon. 
