The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1875-06-24


This pest, which has been so long
in our country, is widely distributed
in our State. Very few if any or
chards are exempt from its attacks.
Not that it always, or generally,
totally destroys the trees; still those
suffering from its attacks are always
lessened in vitality, and it not in
frequently happens that the trunks
become so riddlcd with their tunnels
that the tree becomes a prey to the
hard winds, which are sure to come
with each returning year.
NATURAL HISTORY.
The beautiful brown beetle, with
its two stripes of white, appears
early in June, and thence on through
July. So the egg-laying is prin-
cipally done in these two months.
The grub, whitish, with a round
black head, eats through the bark
and then usually passes in and ur,
frequently eating through tho
branches far out towards the ex-
tremity. / have frequently found
apple tree limbs no larger than my
thumb, with a tunnel as large as a
pipe-stem. These larvae push their
sawdust like particles back ofthem
and out of the hole where they first
entered, so it is not difficult to find
them. They live and feed on the
wood of the tree for three years;
hence we see how that single larva
may bore, if left undisturbed, for
distance of several feet. They
finally bore hole for exit, fill it
slightly with their sawdust, and back
of the same make a cocoon of their
own chips in which they pupate.
Soon after, in June and July, the
beetles again appear.
REMEDIES.
Soapy mixtures are found to be
obnoxious to these beetles, so that
in their egg-laying they are found
to avoid trees to which such an APP
plication has been made. Thus we
may hope to escape all danger by
washing the smooth trunks of our
trees early in June, and again early
in July, with soft soap, or a very
strong solution of the same. Il. Il.
Lyon, now of South Haven, whose
Judgment is very reliable in such
matters, urges that we always use
the soap itself.
We should always examine the
trees carefully in September, and
wherever we find this pernicious
grub's sawdust single out,we should
give him cali. Perhaps VIC may
reach him with a wire thrust into
the hole, and by vigorous ramming
crush the culprit. five have doubts
as to the crushing we should-follow
him with the knife; but in cutting
out the borers, too great care can
not be taken to wound the tree just
as little as possible. This herioc
method is sure, and requires very
little time and, no person who takes
pride in his orchard, or looks to
it as source of profit can afford to
neglect this September exami-
nation, nor the previous application
of soap to which it is supplementary.
rLATHEADED BOXER (Chrysoeothris fenlOrata
Fab: snb-ordcr Hniptera.
Family Bnp,esfid@
At present this borer is quite as
ruinous in our State as the prece d.
ing one, and l should not think it
strange if in a well balanced account
it was found even to surpass the
other in the evil which it works to
our fruit interests. l have seen
Young orchards nearly ruined the
first summer after setting by this de-
vastator. Not long since nursery
man came from distant part OF the
state to consult me as to the ravages
of this pest. He said that during
the past Summer, in some regions
of the State, more than half the trees
he sold were killed by this scourge
and of course he was unjustly blam'
ed. At present no nurserymar
should sell trees without throwing
in advice in regard to practicins
| against this dcvastator; for, as W.
| shall see, such trees are peculiarl.
liable to attack.
These borcrs arc not confined t.
the apple-tree, as have fonnd then
working in oak, maple, and othe
trees of our forests.
NATURAL HISTORY.
This brownish beetle with cop
perry luster is found from May til
August, though i have found then
more common iu June and July
As with the striped Sdperda tn
eggs are hid on the bark. TIL
wGitish grubs, with their enormou
front, brown head, and curled tai
usually bore only specifically, eat
| ing the inner bark and sapwood
vet | have seen, and have now o.
exhibition here at the College, sec
tons of young trees over an inc
| in diameter bored completed
through by these big-headed rascal'
They eat but single season, pu
pate as in the preceding case, an
come forth as images early in til
spring.
They usually work on the trunl
though sometimes in the branche
almost always on the south, the ives