508 
becomes darker until it assumes the color 
of the mature beetle. 
Fig. 1. The Larvae of the Flat-Headed Apple- 
Tree Borer (Chrysobothris .femorata Fab.), 
and their work on young apple trees. 
(Original) 
Life History 
The eggs are fastened with a cement 
in the crevices and under the loose scales 
of the bark, either singly or in groups. 
After hatching the small grubs bore into 
the sapwood upon which they feed. Young 
trees may thus be completely girdled by 
their wide flattened burrows. As _ the 
larvae develop they work into the older 
and firmer wood. When ready to pupate 
they work upward to the bark, eating 
nearly through. After pupation the 
adults emerge early in the spring and 
begin egg laying. The trees selected are 
usually unhealthy or are afflicted with 
wounds and sunburns. Upon or around 
such affected places the eggs are laid. 
The presence of the larvae in healthy 
tissue may be told by the discoloration 
of the bark and the exudation of sap 
from the burrows. 
Distribution 
Throughout the entire United States. 
Food Plants 
Especially injurious to weak or wound- 
ed trees, but occasionally attacks young 
nursery stock. It is especially destruc- 
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 
tive to the apple, but also attacks the 
pear, plum and occasionally the peach 
and raspberry. 
Control 
Though this pest burrows in the trunks 
and limbs of large trees it is most de- 
structive to young trees, the bases of 
which are often completely’ girdled. 
Therefore young trees should be _ pro- 
tected from sunburn and injury to pre- 
vent attacks of the borer. A very good 
preventive is to paint the trunks and 
larger limbs with a solution prepared by 
reducing soft soap to the consistency of 
paint, by the addition of a strong solu- 
tion of washing soda in water. This 
should be applied early in the spring 
(May or June) and again in the middle 
of the summer (July or August). The 
young burrowing larvae may be de- 
stroyed with a knife-blade or crooked 
wire. . 
Natural Enemies 
Internal parasites play an important 
role in the control of this pest in the 
East. A small chalecid and two ichneu- 
monid parasites (Bracon charus Riley 
and Cryptus grallator Say), prey upon 
the larvae, while woodpeckers also dig 
out great numbers of them. 
The work of these natural enemies is 
responsible for its not doing more dam- 
age. E. O. Essia 
Fruit Tree Bark Borer 
Euzophera semifuneralis Walk. 
The larvae bore into the bark of apple 
and plum and related trees, not entering 
the wood. Trees are sometimes girdled 
by them. Distributed over the United 
States. The borers pass the winter in 
silken cocoons beneath the bark; their 
cocoons quite closely resemble those of 
the codling moth. About May 1 the 
caterpillars change to pupae and the 
adults emerge late in May or early in 
June. There appears to be a _ second 
brood, the moths appearing the last of 
September. 
The larvae are about one inch long and 
are quite variable in color but for the 
most part of a dark pink or _ reddish 
color. 
