An unusual feeding behavior of the western spruce budworm (Choristoneuraoccidentalis Freeman) reduced height growth and deformed young western larch (Larixoccidentalis Nutt.). On western larch, budworm larvae did not confine their feeding to foliage, their usual diet on other conifers; they also fed on and severed stems of current-year terminal and lateral shoots. A 5-year study in young larch stands showed that: (1) amount and severity of budworm damage increased annually, (2) all trees were damaged sometime during the study, (3) severance of the terminal shoot was the most serious type of budworm damage to larch, (4) severances reduced net height growth at least one-fourth and resulted in forked, bushy-topped trees, and (5) specific forks in the tree did not persist more than 5 years because of the strong apical dominance characteristic of larch.
Abundance of some arthropods inhabiting the duff and soil on three clearout areas that were prescribed burned was investigated in northcentral Idaho.Generally more arthropods were present and more taxa were represented on older burns. In duff samples, the Acarina, Chilopoda, Thysanoptera Protura, and Thysanura were most numerous in more recent burns. Acarina comprised 77 percent of the fauna in the duff samples. Soil samples collected before mid-July contained about 90 percent of the total number of individuals--mostly immaturesespecially on the oldest burn. The most | j abundant arthropod in the soil samples on the oldest burn was the carabid * [i Amara erraticaj (Sturm) .Because of the abundance of this carabid and its » seed-eating behavior, it is recommended that direct seeding of western whitê / pine^Pinus monticola iDougl. ) , and perhaps of other conifers, be done the first or second season after prescribed burning.
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