Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-05-02
Alistellaneuus Rsadins,
WHY THE PINES ARE DYING.
EntomoIogist at Clemson Gives Inter
estinu information

EntomoIogist at Clemson Gives Inter-
estins Information.
This letter to Mr.. ]. West Harris.
from Prof. A. F. Conradi, entomologist
of Clemson college, will be read with
interest by those forests owners of the
country who have been disturbed by
the death of the pine trees in their
woodland. Some days ago Mr.. Harris
addressed an inquiry as to the cause of
the destruction of the trees, and re-
ceived the following letter in reply:
Dear Sir
Replying to your letter Of the 21st
instant from Woodruff, S. c. You
sent three specimens of insects, the
moths are of the genus amisota and
are leaf-feeders. They are rarely
very numerous. The pinkish larvae
in the bark l am not able to deter
mine at this moment. l will look up
their names and write you about them.
| am quite sure that they are predace-
Gus and destroy the larvae of the
southern pinebark beetle, which is at
present so injurious to our pine for
ests and which is threatening to in
crease it's rate of damage the coming
season. The little white specimen in
the bark you sent is the pupa, or third
stage, in the life history of the south
ern pine bark beetle. All the galleries
you saw in the bark were made by the
pinebark beetle and your letter, there
fore, amounts to an inquiry for meth
ods to control this pernicious bark
borer.
The southern pinebark beetle has
records of extensive destruction of
timber throughout the southern states
dating as far back as the beginning of
the 18th century. There are several
other species that work in a similar
manner, but doing comparatively much
less damage. These bark beetles at
tack the trees and extend their gal
deries I'm every direction through the
inner living bark. The eggs are laid In
the bark and the white grubs, Matching
from these eggs, feed on the inner
bark. They change to pupa and then
to full grown little black beetles that
remind one of the common shothole
borer or fruit bark beetle of the or
chard. Some species change to pupae
within the inner bark while others
transform in the outer bark and are
not exposed when the bark is re-
moved. There are several generations
each season.
Outbreaks of this insect are first
noticed by all unusual percentage of
yellow or red topped pine trees. This
is an indication that such trees are
dying. There are no sprays that are
practical for controlling this insect.
Cutting down and properly utilizing
or destroying such timber are the
only means of saving unaffected trees.
The timber is converted into lumber
and firewood and the brush and offal
is completely destroyed by fire. The
merchantable lumber and flrewood
should be removed from the forests
Immediately.
The above recommendation is en-
tirely practical, especially in small
areas. The all-important considera-
tion Is cooperation among forest own
ers. If it is desired to utilize the logs
at home, they will be rendered HARM
less by removing the bark from them
and burning it. The insects can also
be destroyed in a piece of timber by
in water sufficiently long
to drown the insects.
In our Investigations during the
past season we encountered no para
sites and found only one predaceous
beetle in one forest near Landrum.
The only checks apparent at this time
are those of birds and man. The
woodpeckers render valuable assist
ance, especially in forests where spo-
radio outbreaks occur. We know that
the birds are among the most valuable
friends of the forests and should be
The infestations and the
inroads made into the forests of South
Carolina are so nedVy dt present anu
our birds so comparatively scarce,
that our only means for saving our
forests lies i'm artificial forestry meth
ods similar to those referred to above.
Wherever communities wish to under
take methods for controlling the pest,
the division of entomology of Clemson
college will be glad to render every
assistance possible.-Spartanburg Her
aid.