362 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Fletcher in 1887 includes this species and M. scutellatus Say as the 

 two insects which probably commit the most serious ravages in Canada on 

 felled pine timber or on standing pine trees after they have been injured 

 by fire. 



Description. The egg has been described by Dr Packard as follows : 

 " Ovo-cylindrical, well rounded, but tapering somewhat at each end, of a 

 dirty white color" and as about T /e inch long. 



The grub is a white, fleshy, cylindric larva, which when full grown may 

 attain a length of from 1^ to 2 inches. The mandibles are a very dark 

 brown and the head varies in color from amber to rather dark brown, the 

 deeper color occurring at the sutures. The thoracic shield is somewhat 

 chitinized and bears a transverse, irregular, dark brown marking. This 

 larva may be readily distinguished from that of Rhagium, which frequently 

 occurs under similar conditions, by the entire absence of legs and by the 

 head not being nearly so wide and flattened. 



The adult insect is a magnificent grayish beetle, finely mottled with 

 light brown and rather conspicuously dotted, specially on the wing covers, 

 with dark brown or nearly black. The body length of the beetle varies 

 from about ^ to 1^ inches. The insect is remarkable for its enormous 

 antennae, which may measure from 2 to 3 or more inches in length [pi. 63, 



fig- 4 



Life history. The beetles are found in the vicinity of Albany from the 

 latter part of June through July and into August and Dr Fletcher mentions 

 taking an adult in September. This latter date is late for New York State. 

 The beetles by preference frequent dying or dead trees and occasionally 

 are found in considerable numbers. 



The eggs of this species are deposited in conspicuous transverse gashes 

 in the bark which are made by the female with her jaws. Dr Packard is 

 of the opinion that the beetle prys up a portion of the gash and inserts the 

 egg in the opening thus formed. The eggs are said to hatch in from two 

 to three days after deposition and the young grubs at once begin boring in 

 the inner bark. The earlier work of the larva or grub is confined almost 



