The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1903-05-01
Combating the FIat-Headed Borer.

The destructive tree borer so well
known TO horticulturists as the fiat
headed apple tree borer and to etomolo-
gists as ChrysobothriS femorata has be-
come sufficiently established i'm some
parts of Arizona to demand attention.
Our region has remained remarkably
free from injurious insects but during
the past two years at least the above
named borer has done much to hasten
the death of full grown orchard trees
that have been injured by heat, and has
destroyed many newly set ones. Last
summer several young apple and plum
trees were killed by it at the station
farm before its presence in them
was suspected, and others report the
loss of young trees as a result of its dep
relations. Examinations of large peach
plum and ounce trees that appeared to
be dying from the effects of the sun re-
Vealed the presence of the borer in most
cases.
This insect is found in all parts of the
country and annually destroys vast mum.
bers of trees. 1t attacks apple, pear,
maple, boX-eder, sycamore and willow
trees.
The injury is done by the fiat-headed
borer during its grub or larval stage.
The adult insect is beetle about half
an inch long, fattish- oblong in form,
shiny, greenish- black above and copper
colored below The female deposits her
eggs in the crevices of the bark of the
trunk and main branches, usually on the
south or southwest side, where the eff
feet of the sun upon the trees is greatest.
In our locality the most of the eggs are
probably laid during April and May.
Although eggs are sometimes deposited
by this insect upon healthy, well-estab-
lished trees, it evidently prefers to Sc
lect sickly or newly transplanted ones,
especially those whose bark has been in
jured by exposure to the sun.
The eggs hatch within a few days
after being deposited. The young larvae
soon eats through the bark and pro-
ceeds to bore at some depth beneath the
surface, leaving behind it fiattened
channel. Sometimes single borer will
larva reaches its full growth by the end
of the summer, being then pale yellow
ish grub about half an inch long with
broad fiat head During the winter it
remains quiescent. The next spring it
bores out nearly through the bark, then
moves back a little and undergoes its
change into the adult beetle form, the
transformation being completed in
about three weeks. The beetle then cuts
an opening through the bark and es-
capes to continue the work of destruc-
ton begun by its ancestors. During the
warm part of the day it may be seen fly
ing about in the hot sunlight.
There are three ways of combating
the borer: (D by destroying the grubs
while they are at work in the tree, %
by the application of some substance
that will prevent the eggs being depos
tied or will destroy the eggs and newly
Matched larvae and (3) by wrapping the
trees with something that will pre-
vent the females gaining access to he
bark. But by the best methods known,
borers are difficult insects to combat
wood so soon after the eggs are depos-
tied and keep so completely out of sight
as they work that they do much injury
before their presence is suspected, and
are difficult to kill when detected. 1t is
a case where an ounce of prevention is
most decidedly more effective and more
economical than pound of cure.
tree, they may be destroyed by cutting
them out or by killing them in their
burrows with pointed wire, if they are
not too deep or too far from the point Of
entrance. In some cases, where they
cannot be reached with a wire or cut
out without seriously injuring the tree,
they may be killed by pouring kerosene
or hot water into their burrows. The
location of borer is usually indicated
by slight discooration and hattening
of the bark and by the emulation of sap.
A great variety of washes have been
used for preventing the female beetles
from laying their eggs upon the trees.
The following is probably as effective as
any that can be safely used without
danger OF INJURY 10 Iue DdTh. DloooiNo
half gallon Of soft soap or five
pounds of whale-oil soap in one-half gal
lon of hot water, and add half pint of
carbolc acid. When mixed add five
gallons warm water and enough lime to
make whitewash of about the consist
ency of paint Finally, stir in one-fourth
pound of Paris green. Apply the wash
in April before the eggs have been de-
posited on the trees and again in a few
weeks. All cracks and crevices must be
filled and the bark thoroughly and com
pletely covered, stiff brush being best
for the work 1t must be understood
that the work has no effect upon the
borers after they have once entered the
tree. but is intended to prevent the de-
posting of the eggs, or to Kill newly,
Matched larvae before they have entered
the bark.
But the use of something that will
not only protect the trees from the at
tacks of the borers, but from the heat