The Codling-Moth. 



95 



as quite destructive to plums in Canada, and it has recenily been found 

 in plums in New Mexico. About 1870, it ^vas found to have acquired 

 a taste for peaches in this country, and a little later it was bred from 

 apricots. In 1S93, Koebele found it infesting cherries in California. 

 It has also been found in Europe in nearly all of these fruits. 



There are several European records of the occurrence of the insect 

 in walnuts and oak-galls. These reports were carefully sifted by Dr. 

 Howard in 1887, and the conclusion reached that the evidence was 

 not sufficient to definitely prove that the insect does sometimes feed 

 upon walnuts or oak-galls. We have seen no further conclusive evi- 

 dence on this point. In 1869, Dr. Riley recorded having a specimen 

 of the moth which had been bred from the sweetish pulp of a species 

 of screw-bean {Strombocarpa monoica) which grows in pods, and which 

 was obtained from the Rocky Mountains.* In 1894, Bruner, of 

 Nebraska, reported that perhaps the insect fed upon the seed-buds of 

 roses. 



Its Name. 



Popu/ar 7iame. — When the insect was first discussed in 1635, it was 

 named the " pear-eater." It was next called the " fruit-worm in pears 

 and apples " in 1728; and from this has come the common names, 

 " apple and pear-worm or moth, fruit-worm, fruit-moth," and others, 

 under which the insect is now discussed in nearly all publications 

 except those in the English language. While the very appropriate 

 name of " apple-worm " is also often used by English and American 

 writers, they usually discuss the pest under the perhaps less suggestive 

 name of " codling-moth." 



This name was first given to the insect in 1747 by Wilkes, an Eng- 

 lish writer; as he figures a codling-tree (the name then applied to a 

 kind of apple-tree), in connection with his account, this doubtless 

 suggested the name. The word " codling " is doubtless a corruption 



"" One instance is recorded where the insect apparent!}' took an inclination 

 to literature and mutilated some books to a considera1)le extent. Apples 

 had been stored near a library and the worms upon leaving the fruit and 

 seeking a place to transform, gnawed their way into some of the books and 

 there spun their cocoons. We also encountered this literar}- habit of the 

 insect when infested apples were left near books on the office table where 

 this is being written. 



