THE PINE BARK BEETLE (Hylastes ater) AT MOUNT BURR, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Abstract

SUMMARY SOME heavy and repeated mortality of seedlings in a second rotation plantation has proved to be due to a common pine bark beetle, Hylastes ater Payk. which is present in large numbers throughout the forest. Observations have shown both the beetle and the damage to be identical with occurrences in New Zealand. The beetle lives and breeds in recently felled material, and aften clear-felling its numbers increase very greatly. Serious damage to seedlings has resulted only in cases where the debris has been burned. New crops have been successfully established among the infested debris, both by planting and by natural regeneration.