Batrachedra silvatica are not known from foodplants other than chir pine. The white-bellied heron (Ardea insignis), a large critically endangered heron, is known to roost in chir pine. Uses Chir pine is widely planted for timber in its native area, being one of the most important trees in forestry in northern Pakistan, India and Nepal. For local building purposes, the wood of this tree is the least preferred, as it is the weakest and most prone to decay when compared with other conifers. However, in most low altitude regions, there is no other choice, except for the fact that these being tropical latitudes there are other trees at lower altitudes. When this species of pine tree reaches a large girth, the bark forms flat patches which can be broken off in chunks . It has a layered structure like plywood, but the individual layers have no grain. The locals use this easily carvable bark to make useful items like lids for vessels. Blacksmiths of that region also use this bark exclusively as the fuel for their furnaces. Old trees which die from fire or drought, undergo some metamorphosis in their wood due to the crystallization of the resin inside the heart wood. This makes the wood become brightly coloured (various shades from translucent yellow to dark red) and very aromatic with a brittle, glassy feel. This form of wood known as jhukti by the locals is very easy to ignite, since it never gets wet or waterlogged. They use it for starting fires and even for lighting, as a small piece of the wood burns for a long time (owing to the high resin content). Of all the conifer species in the area, only P. roxburghii seems to be ideal for that purpose. Every autumn, the dried needles of this tree form a dense carpet on the forest floor, which the locals gather in large bundles to serve as bedding for their cattle, for the year round. The green needles are also used to make tiny hand brooms. The locals of the Jaunsar-Bawar region of Uttarakhand have several uses for this tree, which is known in the local dialect as salli. It is also occasionally used as an ornamental tree, planted in parks and gardens in hot dry areas, where its heat and drought tolerance is valued. Resin It is also tapped commercially for resin. On distillation, the resin yields