48 Agrioultukal Experiment Station, Ithaca, N. T. 



three weeks. But if it could be destroyed before it had performed its 

 mission of laying eggs to perpetuate the species it would be then worth 

 while to try. The principal method recommended to destroy moths is 

 by trapping them with lights. Perhaps many of the moths could 

 be thus attracted by placing lights in an orchard, but it has been our 

 experience that the number taken would not repay for the trouble; and 

 besides most of them that were caught would be males. Thus it is not 

 practicable to combat the pest while in the adult stage. 



The eggs laid in June and July are freely exposed upon the under 

 surface of the leaves, and would seem to offer a good chance for the 

 application of some insecticide. But what can one apply that would 

 kill the egg and not the leaf? In 1891 (Can. Ent., xxiii, 231) Dr. 

 Lintner said he thought the egg could be killed by kerosene tmul- 

 sion. Our experience with the eggs of the Yesir FsyWa. {Psylla pyri- 

 cola) in 1892, and with those of the Apple Aphis {A2)his mali) in 

 Januar}'^, 1893, showing that eggs of some insects at least are almost 

 impervious to any of the insecticides thus far employed — even undi- 

 luted kerosene was of no avail. If an effective insecticide was found, 

 it would be hard to get it upon the eggs as they are usually scattered 

 about upon the underside of the leaves. No experiments have been 

 tried to destroy the eggs of the Bud Moth; but in the present state of 

 our knowledge of the efficacy of insecticides against the eggs of 

 insects, it will not be practicable to try to combat the pest in this 

 stage. 



Following the development of the insect, the next stage in its 

 life history which presents itself is that of the young larva as it 

 works upon the leaves in July and August. Preliminary obser- 

 vations upon the pest while feeding at this time apparently 

 exposed upon the leaves, had led us to hope that it might be easily 

 checked by the application of an arsenical spray. Further detailed 

 observations, however, showed that the larva feeds over but a small 

 portion of 'the leaf usually upon the under side; and it not only 

 spends most of its time in its tube, but when it does sally forth to feed, 

 it is protected by a layer of silk which it spins and underneath which 

 It works. Owing to the protection afforded by the tube and web, the 

 larva could not be readily reached by any insecticide which kills by 

 contnct, as kerosene emulsion. The only chance then to reach the pest 

 in this stage seems to be to get some poisonous insecticide upon the 

 leaves just about the time the larvii' are beginning their work; go that 

 as they extend their feeding grounds they must get some of the poison. 

 This will prove rather a difficult thing to do in practice for several 

 reasons. The poison must be ajjplied to the underside of the leaves. 



