INSECTS AFFECTING PARK AND WOODLAND TREES 



487 



destroying the infested trees and avoiding so far as possible conditions 

 favorable to the breeding of this borer ; namely, a great many stumps and 

 dead trees in which itr*"can thrive. 



Lesser prionus 



Orthosoma brunneum Forst. 

 A rather slender, brown beetle about \y% inches long and less than ]/i inch broad, 

 lives in the larval stage in decaying trees. 



This beetle is another rather common species frequently met with in 

 midsummer and attracts notice largely on account of its size. Its larva 

 lives almost entirely in decaying wood, and as a consequence this form is of 

 comparatively slight economic importance. The adult beetle is about 

 inches long with powerful mandibles, and tapering antennae a little over 

 one half the body length. The large eyes are comparatively inconspicuous, 

 finely granulate, and the thorax is prolonged laterally into a series of two 

 or more irregular teeth. The wing covers are very long, rather slender, 

 with parallel sides, irregularly and finely punctured and ornamented with 

 several rather prominent ridges. The larva of this species has been 

 recorded as boring in decaying pine, hemlock, hickory, walnut, oak, chest- 

 nut, and Dr Hopkins states that it inhabits the decaying logs and stumps 

 of nearly all forest trees. 



Description. The larva and pupa have been described by Dr Packard 

 as follows : 



Larva. Described while alive. Body cylindrical, not flattened, the 

 segments very distinct, as the sutures are deeper than usual ; head moder- 

 ately broad ; prothorax large and broad and rather long, being 9 mm broad 

 and 4^ mm long; surface rough on the posterior two thirds. On each of 

 the first to seventh abdominal segments is a transverse oval cylindrical 

 fleshy area, each with three transverse folds, the area on the seventh ring 

 being nearly twice as long (antero-posteriorly) as that on the first, the areas 

 becoming longer and narrower, i. e. more rounded, going backward towards 

 the seventh segment ; the end of the abdomen smooth and shining ; each 

 thoracic segment with a pair of slender three-jointed feet. Length, 35 mm 

 (1^8 inches). 



Pupae. Antennae bent near their end at right angles and laid across 

 the end of the elytra, the latter reaching to the middle of the hind tarsi. 



