190 Bulletin 1T6. 



It will be seen from the above table that the moths of the peach- 

 tree borer may be found living in some part of the country from 

 early April (Florida) to November (Canada). Most writers previous 

 to 1880 liad recorded that the moths % from about June 15th to 

 October in most parts of the country ; but Comstock's observations 

 of the moths laying eggs as early as May lOth, in 1880, at Wash- 

 ington, D. C, created an impression, which was quite general for 

 many years, that the moth emerged in most localities much earlier 

 than the early writers had led us to suppose. It also led to the 

 reconunendation to apply remedial measures much earlier in most 

 parts of the country. 



There is need of more definite data from many localities, espe- 

 cially in the South, before one can make a general statement that 

 will apply to all parts of the country. Marlatt (1896) has given the 

 best generalization of this kind, which we would change but little, 

 as follows : The moths begin to appear early in May in the latitude 

 of Washington, D. C, and southward, over what approximates the 

 lower austral region ; in the Gulf Strip of this region they are 

 recorded as appearing a month earlier. In the upper austral region 

 roughly comprising the States above the cotton belt and below the 

 northern tier, the moths do not usually appear until after the middle 

 of June ; in the southern portions of some of the States in this 

 region they are recorded as appearing in May. In the transition 

 region, which comprises the northern tier of States, together with 

 most of ]^ew York and New England, and also including Southern 

 Canada, the moths appear chiefly in July and later, rarely emerg- 

 ing however, as early as June 15th, and belated individuals as late 

 as October, or even November in Canada. June and Julv are 

 therefore the worst months for the moths over the principal peach 

 districts south of the fortieth degree of latitude, while north of this 

 the moths are the most numerous during July and August, and in 

 Canada from August 15tli to September 15th. 



Our breeding experiments indicate that the two sexes of the 

 moths are produced in about equal numbers, but we have no con- 

 clusive evidence that the males emerge " a few days earlier than the 

 females" as some record. Smith (1898) states tliat "the adult life 

 is short, perhaps no more than a day or two." We have had them 



