The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1903-08-07
Fruit Tree Bark Beetle.

Mr.. Thomas B. Symons, State Entomol-
ogist of the Maryland Agricultural Col
lege, has issued the following circular in
answer to the many inquiries recently re-
ceived concerning the damage done by
the fruit-tree bark beetle:
1T does its injury by boring into the
trunk and branches, and if there is no
effort made to check its ravages, the bark
of the infested tree will soon be found to
be thickly 'peppered' with holes as though
by fine bird shot. These are the exit holes
of the beetle that have in their larval
state mined and developed under the bark.
early in the spring the beetles make
their appearance and may then commence
their work by boring through the bark.
After reaching the sap wood, feeding as
she goes, the female constructs brood
chamber and along the sides of this at
very short intervals, gnaws little pockets
in which she deposits her eggs. Accord
ing to DR.. J. B. Smith the eggs hatch with
in three days and the larva attains ma
turity in about twenty days, at which
time it changes to the pupa, this period
lasting about seven days. 1t now emer-
ges as an adult beetle, passing its life
cycle in four to six weeks. Prof. F. H.
Chittenden, Department of Agriculture,
states in his circular No. 80, The Fruit
Tree Bark-Beetle, that he is led to believe
that there are three generations III this
latitude
"Until recently it was thought by some
that this insect would only attack diseas-
ed trees, but Professor Chittenden states
that he has seen this insect working in
perfectly healthy trees and the writer has
witnessed the same many times this year.
Therefore there is no doubt that the in
sect will infest healthy trees, but it may
prefer diseased or dying wood.
"In giving remedies to employ against
this pest, the writer realized that borers
are at best very hard insects to deal with
and especially is it so in this case as the
beetles are extremely small and numerous
and also the fact that they attack any
portion of the trunk and branches of
tree. Owing to the insects habit of breed
ing in diseased or dying trees, it is of
prime Importance that all brush wood
and other remnants of orchards should
always be burned. Where a tree is seen
to be badly infested, it is best to cut
it down and burn to prevent infesta-
ton to sound ones. However, a tree may
recover from slight attacks, and in this
case always cut out and burn the dying
or dead growth as soon as detected. For
this as we'll as other insects, orchards
should always be kept in vigorous con-
dition so they will more readily be allie
to withstand insect injury.
"Many washes have been employed as
deterrents against this pest. Whale oil
soap at the rate of two pounds to the gal
lon of water, applied with brush on the
trunk and larger branches may prevent
the beetles from entering the bark to
some extent. Also wash composed of
one pint of crude carbolic acid and one
gallon of soft soap, diluted with eight
gallons of water, has been recommended.
Much good may come by touching light
ly infested spots from which gum or
soap has begun to ooze with small
sponge or brush saturated with kerosene.
If this is done on the outset of attack,
many beetles may be killed and thereby
much consequent damage prevented"