e 
GIANT SlREX. 
128 
Specimens of timber pierced by the great galleries of the grubs, sent 
me by direction of Lady Frances Doyne, showed great injury, and 
likewise that the infestation was in condition to extend, for a female 
“ Wood Wasp ” was lying almost ready for flight in one of the 
borings. 
Together with the specimens sent me from Hacketstown, by Mr. 
Empson Jones, he mentioned that the grub bored one-quarter inch 
holes in Fir trees (which is only too correct a description), and was 
destroying much valuable timber on his property. He also observed, 
“ Neither I or any person about here have ever seen them before, and 
if they increase in number will destroy all the timber about here.” 
From the great size and conspicuous yellow and black colouring of 
the female (figured life size at p. 122), it could hardly have failed to 
attract attention if at all numerous ; and it would be of interest, both 
practically and as matter for record, to find whether the attack spreads 
onwards from the coast. 
The history of the method of attack has been given in detail in 
previous reports. This may be shortly stated to be that the female 
bores a hole through the bark of various kinds of Fir trees, with her 
strong ovipositor or egg-laying apparatus, for the deposit of her eggs. 
This apparatus, see figure at p. 122, is a long fine process appended 
beneath the abdomen ; the abdomen itself ends in a strong blunt point. 
The maggots are whitish and fleshy, and with their strong jaws eat their 
way onwards in the solid deal or Fir timber, causing thereby such 
galleries as quite to ruin it for working purposes. They are said to be 
full grown in about seven weeks. The change to chrysalis and com¬ 
plete state takes place within the tree, but though the “ Wood Wasp ” 
may be fully developed and come out in a month from the change to 
the chrysalis state, this may very possibly not occur until the following 
summer, or may be still further delayed as in many other cases of 
wood attack. 
The infestation has been considered chiefly to affect trees in which 
the sap is not in full flow either from age, or from accidents to the 
branches or other part attacked, or especially to affect felled or fallen 
timber or branches. 
Where the insects, as is sometimes the case, are seen coming out 
in numbers in the course of a few hours from a felled trunk, it is well 
worth while to set some one with a hand net to catch such as may 
endeavour to fly away, or to destroy them as they make their appear¬ 
ance. 
Splitting up felled timber known to be infested, and using it for 
firewood or otherwise, so as to prevent any chance of insects spreading 
♦ from it, and similar attention to injured or fallen trees or branches in 
Fir woods, are the best (and apparently the only) methods which lie 
