Seasonal Notes. May 



29 



The Pine Beetle. 



In some districts the young shoots of Scots and Austrian 

 pines are attacked in May by the pine beetle (Hyluvgus 

 pinipevda). It bores into the twig about 1 inch below the 

 terminal point ; its presence may be at once detected by the 

 ring of white resinous matter which surrounds the entrance 

 to its burrow. This beetle is very small, and might easily be 

 overlooked if not carefully searched for. In our diary of 

 May 22, 1901, we wrote " though many trees were attacked, 

 yet, after a most exhaustive examination of more than a 

 hundred shoots, we have secured only three beetles." It is 

 not unlikely that the beetle leaves the burrow immediately 

 the twig is disturbed. The bored shoots wither and become 

 brown above the point of attack within two or three months, 

 and are then very easily recognisable. 



Galls on Oaks. 



Now is the time to search oak trees for spring galls. 

 These represent for the most part the alternate generation 

 of those much better known, which appear in autumn. In 

 the latter part of May " round, sappy, white and red galls, 

 which vary in size from that of a pea to a cherry," may 

 be found upon oak trees. They occur upon the trunks of 

 old trees as well as saplings. On the former they are usually 

 low down. They always grow from a bud, but peculiarities 

 of environment often make this difficult to recognise. That 

 they are not bark galls is always well seen when they occur 

 upon saplings. Within each is a small maggot, the larva 

 of a little fly which emerges in June. (Trigonaspis cvustalis). 

 The female punctures the veins on the under side of soft and 

 tender oak leaves, and causes the little kidney-shaped galls 

 so often to be seen in the latter part of September arranged 

 in rows upon the veins. (Biorhiza vemim). The fly emerges 

 in December. It immediately punctures the buds, and 

 deposits its eggs. At the point punctured the little reddish 



