Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-04-21

pupae stage and thus complete their life
history. The adults OF this generation
| then proceed to attack other trees and thus
their round OF work goes on. They will
attack dead trees as well as the living, and
many OK our readers will recall herring the
grinding noise that they make when at
work.
| This pest appeared in Germany in 1871
and continued its ravages for two years,
when 1t had destroyed nearly or quite
three million trees. The aut critics then
| took the matter in hand and by cutting
down $4,000 trees the invasion was
brought to an end. 1t has appeared sew
eral times since then, but with far less ag-
in Maine and it remains to be seen what
is to be done to stay its ravages.
DANGEROUS PESTS ALREADY HERE.
We have now spoken of the most dan
gerous species OF the two great groups OF
insect pests. Already the gypsy moth,
brown tail. the larch sandfly, and Other
| Injurious insects, are with us, and as usual
are proving more destructive here than in
the old world. From what we know OF
| their history these insects were one OF the
important factors in forest destruction
and forest modification during prehistoric
times, and to-day we are facing the same
crisis in their work. Contrary to general
/ opinion, the bark boring group are the
most dangerous, and both in number OF
| species and destructiveness, they greatly
exceed the same class OF insects in Europe
We are more familiar with the defoliat-
| ing insects than with the bark borers be-
cause we can more easily see them at their
work. Among these the gypsy moth is
the one which we have most reason to
fear at this time. This pest was brought
into Massachusetts, some forty years ago
| by . so-cailed scientist, and has since
spread with alarming rapidity over the
entire state and will soon be over all New
England. Already it has done tremen-
dous damage, and the state OF Massachu-
| trying to stop its deadly march. It
appears in countless numbers and the de-
| foliation OF trees two successive years is
sufficient to cause their death. This is
especially true OF coniters, but 1t is equally
| destructive OF shade and fruit trees.
The bark borers have as yet attracted
but little attention among our people
from the fact that they work in secret,
and for this very reason they are more to
be feared. The spruce destroying beetle
| is already proving itself to be one OF the
most destructive pests with which we
| shall soon be called to deal. II attacks
and kills all the different species OF spruce
and always selects the very largest and
| finest specimens. The amount of timb
| it has already killed within the fifty years
between New York and New Brunswick is
| estimated at more than 10000, 900 900 feet.
| Maine has well been named the Pine
Tree State, but the pine beetle may yet rob
its forests OF their greatest glory. Its
operations extend from Maryland to Maine,
and it Is always the most destructive where
these trees grow the largest and best. In
West Virginia it threatened at one time to
destroy all the pine in the state, but a
severe freeze stopped its ravages. This
species may be considered one OF the most
dangerous enemies ana a constant menace
to the prosperity OF this State.
| A striking feature Of nearly all of the
great invasions by forest insects in Eu-
rope and this country has been their
more or less periodical nature, and the
more or less sudden check Of the out
break after q large percentage Of the
timber had been killed and within two
or three years after the insect had be-
come so abundant as to threaten the
total destruction OF the kind Of trees
attacked by them. This is to be ex-
planned by various natural causes,
which, however, operate only after the
greatest damage has been done, and
often the invasion is far beyond human
control.
| Therefore the object in future manage
nent of forests should be to utilize the
authentic technical information relating
| to the vital features in their seasonal his
| tory and habits, with a view TO prevent
ing destructive outbreaks or promptly
adopting the proper measures for their
control as soon as the first evidence of the
| insects presence in destructive numbers
is noted. In fact, the first evidence of an
outbreak of destructive insect should re-
ceive the same prompt attention as that
required in preventing the spread OF an
incipient forest fire. Fortunately most of
the bark beetles can be kept under COM
plete control with little or no expense by
proper adjustments in forest management
and numbering operations.
The history Of efforts toward the control
OF forest insect depredations in Europe as
well as in this country show that one OF
the greatest obstacles has been the failure
to realize the Importance of expert ento-
biological information. This has resulted
in the waste OF time, energy, and large
sums OF money in absolutely worthless
and often detrimental efforts before proper
measures have been adopted and applied.
SAVE THE BIRDS.
The writer now comes to a subject that