48 



The Branded Fir Beetle. 



Seine, so that there would be nothing against its occurrence 

 in such a pine-clad district as Bournemouth." 



The beetle is from 3 to 3^- lines in length. Its rostrum is one 

 line long, and the long clubbed antennae are situated about 

 the middle of the rostrum. The ground colour is red-brown of 

 a rather dull hue, and the bod}^ is clothed with white scales. 

 It has small white spots on its thorax, from w'hich it is called 

 by the Germans Weisspunkt. Upon the elytra or wing-cases 

 there are two bands of light colour running transversely,, 

 varying between white and yellow. The beetles lay eggs on 

 the trees tow^ards the latter part of April, making holes in the 

 bark for this purpose. According to Ratzeburg the eggs are 

 laid at intervals, and singly, and are hatched in from eight to 

 ten days. The eggs are placed upon the stems from the base 

 to about two feet in height ; they are also laid upon the cones 

 of firs, as larvae are frequently found in these. The larva bores 

 through the inner rind and makes passages in it and in the 

 soft w^ood, biting and living on this. Before pupation it 

 makes the cradle-like hole in the harder wood where pupation 

 takes place. 



The ordinary period in which the larv^ work is said by 

 Ratzeburg and KoUar to be during June and July, but in 

 some cases, as in that of the Scotch firs submitted in March 

 last, the larvae pass the winter under the bark. Taschenberg 

 says that the larvae occasionally live through the winter, 

 Ratzeburg also gives instances of this, and Professor Sajo in 

 Budapest has stated recently that he has found quantities of 

 larvae of Pissodes notatus in the winter in the bark of Pinus 

 Aiistriaca.'^ 



The larva is whitish, or light in colour, and becomes cream- 

 coloured as it approaches pupation. It is about two lines in 

 length when extended, but it lies generally in a curved 

 position and is much wrinkled. The head is of a chestnut 

 colour and has a few hairs upon it. There are a few^ hairs 

 also upon the tail end of the body. The mouth has strong 

 jaws, well adapted for biting and for scooping out the cradles 

 for pupation in the hard wood. The pupa is co\'ered, in the 



* Utbsr In>ektenfeinde von Pinus silvestris und Finus Austriaca j Von Professor 

 Karl Sajo in Budapest. 



