INSECTS INJURIOUS TO CONIFERiE, 



163 



by surrounding it with dry trenches with vertical sides about a 

 foot deep. Into these they drop, and can be collected in large 

 numbers, especially if brushwood be placed at the bottom. 



Other methods of attracting the beetles themselves are by 

 laying traps of Pine-bark on the ground with the inner side 

 downwards, shoots and fresh brushwood tied in bundles, or loose 

 logs, and by digging holes about a foot deep and filling them 

 with fresh needles and brushwood. 



Whichever method be adopted, the traps must be visited and 

 cleared of beetles regularly, or they will do more harm than 

 good. This is true of all natural baits to attract insects. 



PiSSODES. 



Two insects which somewhat resemble Curculio Abietis 

 deserve passing mention; these are the beetles of the genus 

 Pissodes, P. Pint and P. notatus. Both are supposed to be 

 confined to the North of England, and to Scotland. There is a 

 doubtful record of P. notatus from Bournemouth, and I have 

 myself found it in the New Forest. It is likely to occur in any 

 artificially formed Pine-plantation if the young trees have been 

 imported from a locality which it frequents. Neither species is 

 very common, but P. notatus at least has been reported as 

 injurious in Scotland. The weevils are smaller than Curculio 

 Abietis, more variegated in colour, and the thighs are not toothed. 

 They lay their eggs on Pine-trunks, and the larv^ feed under the 

 bark where they hollow out pupal chambers. P. notatus attacks 

 young trees from three to six years old, P. Pini older trees. 

 The injury caused by both is to be met by careful removal of 

 attacked trees and others which, being sickly, are liable to cause 

 attack, and by selecting sites for nurseries so that the trees shall 

 enjoy good general health. They do most mischief to Pines 

 planted in unfavourable situations. 



PiNE-SAWFLY. 



As the trees grow up they suffer less from Curculio Abietis^ 

 but new enemies arise, especially defoliating larv«. In Great 

 Britain, in the absence of damage from GastrojKicha Pini or 

 Liparis monacJia, the most important of these are the Pine- 

 sawflies, Lo^jJiyrus Pini and other species of similar habits. 

 The females in late spring cut a longitudinal slit in a Pine- 



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